Circle of Friends (1995) User Reviews

Friendship

[jotix100 · 7/10 · 22 December 2005]

Perhaps not having read Maeve Binchy's book, in which this film is based, and never seeing the film when it was released, helped this viewer to enjoy it, perhaps more than most people that saw it in its commercial debut. Pat O'Connor and his adapter, Andrew Davies, give us a portrait about the friendship of three young girls in the story, as they go from childhood to womanhood in the Ireland of some time ago.

We meet the three friends as the film opens. There are Benny, Eve and Nan, who are inseparable. They grow up and their relationship continues right through adulthood. The three friends go to university and we see them attending Professor Flynn's class, which seems to be the girls' favorite teacher.

Nan, the prettiest of the three has no prospects of marrying into money. She decides to go after Simon Westwood, a wrong choice that turns out even worse when she discovers he couldn't care less for her. He just wants to marry money and she doesn't have it. Eva, the orphan girl brought up by nuns, has no prospects either, but she has a cottage in the country that Nan finds convenient for exploring her sexuality with Simon.

The best adjusted of the three friends is plain Benny, who seems destined to marry her father's clerk, the reptilian Sean. She has her eyes set on Jack Foley, the hunky jock. Jack in turn likes her, but things intervene between them.

Minnie Driver, is a marvelous presence in the film. She makes the plain Benny come alive. Saffron Burrows is perfect as the vain and beautiful Nan. Geraldine O'Rawe plays Eve. Chris O'Donnell is Jack Foley, who makes a good impression. Alan Cumming, Colin Firth and Ciaran Hinds are perfect in their supporting roles.

"Circle of Friends", while not breaking any ground, is still a good movie to watch because Pat O'Connor's direction and the ensemble acting cast.

Unpretentious romantic drama; sweet but not memorable

[monabassil · 6/10 · 10 February 2002]

First of all, I've never read the novel by Maeve Binchy, so I'm not going to make a comparison between the book and the movie.

The plot:

Set in the 50s. Three young Irish girls with distinguish personalities get their share of lessons about friendship, love, family, betrayal and college life.

The characters:

Minnie Driver is very convincing as Benny, the straightforward, sensitive, caring, and humorous virgin with plum curves, a radiant smile, and expressive eyes. She is an only child and lives with her modest family, taking the bus on a daily basis to go to college in Dublin.

Chris O'Donnell is Jack Foley, a wealthy medical student and rugby star. He is attractive and a tad naive. He and Benny fall in love, their attempts to get close to each other, both in the physical and the emotional sense, are clumsy (because they lack experience), but sincere and touching.

Geraldine O'Rawe is Eve, Benny's lifetime friend, an orphan who was raised by the nuns but who has enough guts to ask for and obtain a scholarship, and stand up for Benny against Nan when need be.

The pretty Saffron Burrows plays Nan, Benny and Eve's childhood friend, who left the village early to live with her family in Dublin. She is very aware of her attractive looks, and attempts to use her wannabe sophistication to trap a wealthy man into marriage when she becomes pregnant with his baby (predictable). But the man rejects her (again, predictable), and so she betrays Benny by seducing Jack and claiming afterwards that she is carrying his child.

Alan Cumming is excellent as Sean Walsh, Benny's father's employee who constantly attempts to seduce the young girl, to no avail. You will probably hate him in this role, he truly is despicable, manipulative, sexually obsessed, voyeur, irritating, etc. His hairstyle (a fringe on the right please) and suspenders make him look ridiculous. In one word, Walsh is a real pain, but Cumming gives an excellent performance here. His sleezy mimics cannot go unnoticed.

The Irish landscape, with its hilltops, pittorresque rivers, woods, small roads, and adorable cottages is one of the fine aspects of the movie.

There isn't much to analyse here, the story line is simple and the dialog pretty straightforward. The overall atmosphere of the film is friendly, warm and 'cozy'.

There is definitely an emotional bond between Benny and the viewers, unless you're too much of a cynic to sympathize with a sensitive, self-conscious, modest girl set on a (realistic) journey of womanhood.

What happened to Chris O'Donnell?

[Spuzzlightyear · 8/10 · 21 September 2004]

Oh sure, I know he must be out there doing something. But I recently saw this for the 2nd time, the first time at a second run movie house and I just fell in love with movie again. Chris O'Donnell and Minnie Driver (what happened to HER?) have great (but not amazing) chemistry going between them, and throughout the movie I was also saying, "who is that weasely looking chap playing the father's assistant in the haberdashery shop?" Only to find out it was Alan Cummings! (blush). I did like the love story, but the whole pregnancy angle seemed a bit too forced, and the whole mystery being solved at the end in one full swoop was a bit much. Still, it was nice to see O'Donnell acting before he sold himself out and started doing dreadful movies.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!

[swest2 · 15 June 2003]

I originally watched this movie to see Ciaran Hinds (the college professor) who was wonderful in a supporting role.

I love this movie. It is so powerful in its simplicity. The actors were so embracable in their portrayals as young adults in the 50's with all the sexual taboos. The scenery is grand!

I watch this movie at least once a month and have recommended it to many friend who also enjoy it. (If you are into Irish countrysides you might want to watch "The Matchmaker" with David O'Hara - v. good also.)

Sweet, well-acted -- not memorable

[AKS-6 · 6/10 · 4 August 2001]

It must be at least five or six years since I saw this movie last, and I couldn't remember much of it before I saw it again yesterday. That does not surprise me since Circle of Friends truly isn't a very memorable film. It's sweet and extremely well-acted (apart from the always boring Chris O'Donnell)... but that's about it.

It was fun, though, to see Minnie Driver, Saffron Burrows, and Aidan Gillen (Queer as Folk, UK version) in early roles. As always, Colin Firth delivered a fine performance.

Perfect for girls' night

[HotToastyRag · 7/10 · 17 January 2019]

If you're looking for the perfect movie for your next girls' night, find a copy of Circle of Friends. It's a classic '90s drama and a total chic flick, so don't invite any boys to your party.

Minnie Driver, after a few television credits, makes a splash in her film debut as the interesting, endearing center of a circle of friends in 1950s Ireland. She's overweight and unattractive, but while she's self-deprecating, she isn't fishing for compliments or insecure with who she is. She's mature, responsible, intelligent, sensitive, and also happens to be overweight and unattractive. Even with the Catholic Church frightening her, her parents not understanding her, and an unwelcome suitor trying to take the place of the boy she's falling in love with, she never turns bitter, angry, or ugly. She's a truly wonderful character, and the driving force of the film.

Minnie falls in love with Chris O'Donnell, who puts on an impressive Irish accent, but her parents want her to settle for Alan Cumming. She tells Chris to be careful with her, uttering the heartbreaking line, "I may look like a rhinoceros, but I've got thin skin," and warning the audience that they might want to reach for their handkerchiefs at some point later in the film. Minnie's friend Geraldine Rowe isn't given much to do, but her other friend, Saffron Burrows, is given a very challenging role. She starts the movie innocent, but as she lusts after the older Colin Firth, she changes.

Every actor in this movie gives realistic and powerful performances, and the story will tug on your heart long after you've finished. Certain movies have the feel of a bygone era, and this is one of them. It doesn't quite capture the feeling of the 1950s, but it certainly reminds you of the good old '90s.

Kiddy Warning: In this movie, there may or may not be a rape scene.

a tale of friendship that's as ordinary as any girl's life...

[Sherazade · 7/10 · 22 March 2006]

This was the first film of Minnie Driver I ever saw and I loved her in this role as the main character Benny (or Ben as her friends call her) whose coming of age story is told within the full circle of the film as is that of her friends. If you see Driver in this, she is a far cry from the glamour puss she has become today in Hollywood films, but her acting is still just as superb. I truly enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone with a taste or stamina for bawdy Irish jokes, rawness one only sees from the other-side of the pond from time to time and heartbreak that exists in the lives of everyone especially those just getting to know the world for what it truly is. Chris O' Donnell also appears in the film, as the charming young lad Benny falls in love with. Alan Cumming (in another stereotypically sinister role), Colin Firth and Saffron Burrows also co-star.

romance lacks tension

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 10 February 2015]

It's 1949 Knockglen, Ireland. Best friends Eve, Benny and Nan have their Confirmation Day. Then it's 1957. Nan Mahon (Saffron Burrows) is long gone to Dublin. Bernadette Hogan (Minnie Driver) and Eve Malone (Geraldine O'Rawe) have graduated. Orphan Eve's father was the wealthy Westward family's gardener. Simon (Colin Firth) is the dashing Westward son. The girls go to Dublin University College but Benny has to go home every night while Eve is living in a convent. They are reunited with social butterfly Nan at college. Benny falls for fellow student Jack Foley (Chris O'Donnell). Creepy Sean Walsh (Alan Cumming) from home has an eye for her. Aidan Lynch (Aidan Gillen) likes Eve. Nan wants the older Simon.

Minnie Driver may be a tall gal but the way she's described, she needs an extra 50 pounds. She probably needs to be uglier. On the other hand, Chris O'Donnell is way too pretty, not just handsome but swoopy-haired pretty. He's essentially the pretty girl in this romance and rather bland. They have good chemistry but not very heated one. It tries to do something with sexual rebellion in the repressive religious atmosphere. Even when the movie takes some twists, it never really surprises.

A movie with universal appeal and charm.

[rondine · 9/10 · 1 February 1999]

A movie that is at turns witty, charming, heartbreaking and truthful. There are many kinds of movies, and an entertaining and joyful movie is not the least of these. This is the kind of movie you can watch over and over again & never tire of it. The performances are fresh and sincere, and the script and direction are flawless. I recommend this movie if you want to see a slice of life that is simple and frank in how we relate to each other as human beings.

A Film With No Heart

[Snowgo · 6/10 · 23 June 2014]

Although this movie lacked any sort of plot, and was forever flitting from one insignificant scene to the next, I was willing to watch it because of the fine acting performance by Minnie Driver and that there seemed to be a story shaping-up between her character and that of Chris O'Donnell's. When he left Bene sitting for almost the entire time of his party, opting to dance with her glamorous friend, instead, I should have been warned.

When this cad (Jack) actually tried and succeeded in getting Bene to dance as she was about to leave, I should have realized the black nature of this script and screenplay. When Jack has coitus with the glamorous friend (played by Saffron Burroughs) and gets her pregnant (he is told), he decides to tell Bene, whom he has, by then, some real affection for. As he is getting off the bus or trolley to meet her, tell her and break her heart, I turned the movie off and threw it out. A film really has to offend me for me to score fewer than 7 stars. No real plot and an apparent delight in hurting those vulnerable means a cinematic failure to me, even with Minnie Driver's memorable character and performance. The fact that Circle of Friends was based on a novel is no excuse. Another one should have been used. A fresh and compelling screenplay could have been developed, loosely using the characters of Bene and Jack. Certainly, this movie was talent wasted.

utterly disappointing

[Eve9 · 3/10 · 11 October 2003]

Having just completed the novel I decided to rent the movie. I knew that it wouldn't compare to the book, but the story was practically unrecognizable. Multi-dimensional characters were simplified (Eve had no spark in the movie, no anger), leaving you with little indication as to what their thoughts and motivations were. I was particulary disappointed to see that the special circumstances surrounding their initial meeting on the first day of university (the motorcycle accident) was completely rewritten in favour of a lack-lustre introduction. But the biggest disappointment was taking a story about friendship and turning it into a romance movie.

Dreams come true

[blackberrybabe · 9/10 · 24 March 2008]

I was glad to see Chris O'Donnell in this movie. He did this to show the Irish side of him. As an Irishwoman, I loved that. O'Donnell shines as Jack Foley, the good-looking Rugby star who falls in love with Benny (Driver). O'Donnell plays Foley with suavity, sympathy & class. You like him; even when you find out about Nan. He just has a way of making you swoon. And I loved the accent. My favorite scene in this movie is Jack in a tuxedo. Talk about hot! Chris O'Donnell has always been good-looking, but wearing that tuxedo & speaking with an Irish accent made me swoon.

Driver gives a star-is-born performance as Benny, the 'ordinary' girl who dreams of more than Knockglen. You feel her pain as she deals her whole life with not being the beauty Nan is; & cheer when Jack tells her he loves her.

I discovered what a talent Alan Cumming is. His portrayal of Sean Walsh gave me the creeps; yet I kept hoping for more screen time. Geraldine O'Rawe is another breakthrough performance as Eve. She is a loyal friend to Benny & a joy to watch on screen. Her beauty & grace are unmatched in this film.

A very sweet movie & a good addition to anyone's collection. If you are Irish, rent & enjoy this gem. If you are not, rent anyways. It just proves that sometimes the person you want may not be out of reach. Sometimes dreams do come true.

Okay chick flick for Driver and O'Donnell fans

[=G= · 6/10 · 31 December 2001]

"Circle of Friends" tells of three Irish young women and best friends and their encounters with life, men, school, family matters, etc. Artistically and technically well done with Driver in the driver's seat nailing her part as usual, "Circle..." starts at a crawl and finds itself running at the end, ill timed, as though trying to squeeze its predictable story into a calculated number of minutes. The characters in the film, who are eminently obvious stereotypes, behave uncharacteristically in numerous situations as is required to make the story succeed in its attempts to elicit the desired emotions from the audience...hate for the villain, adoration for the heroine, etc. Overall, "Circle..." is an okay watch which will be most appreciated by young females and those who go with the flow while not being too discerning or analytical..

This might have been better if I hadn't read the book

[hbrookshaw · 5/10 · 27 October 2005]

As a "stand alone" this film is quite passable. If, however, you are a fan of Maeve Binchy and have read the book, you will probably spend a good deal of the film comparing the two, and the film comes off unfavourably. Some of the differences are minor, but the ending is completely different. I have no intention of comparing the two endings here as I don't want to be a spoiler, suffice it to say that if you have read the book, the film ending is a major disappointment. I also think that Benny was totally miscast. That the Benny of the book is a big woman is relevant to the storyline, whereas Minnie Driver, although quite tall, can't be called big under any stretch of the imagination. The film characters seemed wooden to me in comparison with the book characters. However, if you're not into reading books, the film is worth watching.

one of my favorites!

[rachelb-2 · 17 October 2002]

I love this movie it is one of my faves! I read the book before I saw the movie and Usually I am disappointed by the movies if i read the book first...but not in this case..it stays true to the book and minnie driver does an excellent job as "Benny"! Chris O'Donnell plays the role of jack magnificently! Benny may not be the most beautiful of her friends but she can still win over the most handsome guy! A great movie and a definite must see!

Simply an enjoyable movie

[annabrownie · 7/10 · 14 January 2010]

As a general rule, I am picky about adaptations of books on the big screen, but there is much to love about this version of Maeve Binchy's excellent novel. I loved the book from the first time I read it, and was delighted to find a film version to rent. The cast are really very good and the movie is well-written and directed. Minnie Driver is wonderful as Benny, with Chris O'Donnell portraying a slightly more sympathetic Jack than the selfish young man in the novel, and excellent support from Geraldine O'Rawe, Saffron Burrows, Alan Cumming and Colin Firth (getting to play a cad rather than the hero for a change).

There are, of course, some major differences from the novel but nonetheless the film works, in and of itself, and it is still extremely enjoyable. I can accept that for a Hollywood movie, a more conclusive ending was required than that provided by Binchy in the book, and it was made believable by the chemistry between Driver and O'Donnell in the last few scenes.

I would agree that the sexual life of savages would be an unlikely subject for first year students in 1950s Ireland, but I like Ciaran Hinds as the lecturer, so I'll let it go...I also would have liked to see more of Binchy's supporting cast make it into the movie - Mother Francis, for example, who brought up Eve, or some of the other friends outside of the college group such as Clodagh or Fonzie. Obviously a film has limitations that do not hinder an author, but I would also have liked there to have been more back story for Nan - just why she chooses Simon, for example. And I could always use more interaction between Eve and Aidan, whose scenes in the book are richly comic and translate very well onto the screen.

Despite my quibbles, I have always liked this film, and I would recommend it to most people, whether they have read the book or not, for its entertainment value.

Small, quiet movie ...

[dwpollar · 6/10 · 12 March 2001]

1st watched 7/13/1997 - (Dir-Pat O'Connor): Small, quiet movie in which the characters' portrayed keep your interest from beginning to end. O'Donnell in a pre-Robin role shows that he can act outside a costume.

Fine Film, Great Performances, Troubled Message. Spoilers!

[annlevtex · 6/10 · 25 September 2023]

This film came out almost 20 years ago, but I am still going to include spoiler tags since plenty of people haven't seen it.

Minnie Driver is terrific as Benny, Chris O'Donnell is a perfect Jack, and it's lovely to see a young Aidan Gillan as Eve's rather awkward but sweet beau. I liked the movie when I watched it. It's very well-done, but the author (the movie is based on a Maeve Binchy novel) seems pretty judgey about sex.

I'm not saying she sides with the Catholic Church, the institution that torments poor Benny and makes her feel too guilty to have sex with the boy she loves and who loves her back. But in a more subtle way, she sides with the abstainers and paints them as more virtuous.

Nan, Benny's beautiful and ambitious friend, is the only one of the group who gives up her virginity. She does it for a wealthy local landlord, hoping to move up in the world. And who can blame her? Her family life is rough. She has a lot of siblings, they don't have any money (she is the most financially strapped of the friends), and her father is harsh. She wants something better.

The film doesn't explicitly judge Nan for sleeping with Simon. It is actually sympathetic to her, until it takes a turn. Nan betrays her friends by seducing sex-starved Jack and then pretending the baby is his, getting a proposal out of him. This is working until Eve figures out her due date and literally pulls a knife on her. She is disgraced, cast out of the circle, and that's it.

I felt like it wasn't a coincidence that the only girl who chose to have sex was also the "Big Bad" of the movie, a liar, betrayer and manipulator. Yes, she was desperate and the film does show that. But we can't help but hate her for it, can we?

By making Nan do something so low-down, the story casts a poor light on sexually active young women. I don't think Binchy did it intentionally or knowingly, but it's there nonetheless.

I've read one of her other books, whose title I don't recall, and the same thing kind of happens in that one too. Yes, the main character, Maria, has premarital sex, but she is in LOVE with her man. She's young and innocent, and he loves her and marries her when she gets pregnant. But he gets bored and his eye wanders to a younger woman who wears pink mini-skirts and sleeps with a married man. Maria is an avid baker, as wholesome as they come, despite having had sex before marriage. The mistress is portrayed as....less than wholesome.

It's hard to explain, exactly, but it really did bug me that the story treated the characters the way it did. I mean, did she have to make the only sexually active woman the one who was also a back-stabbing liar? I feel like she didn't.

Three friends grow into women

[iprudd · 7/10 · 18 March 2001]

This is the story of three long time friends who grow into women in 1950's Ireland, set against Trinity College, Dublin and their home town. Benny is the shy one, Eve is well grounded and Nan is the sophisticated beauty. When they go to College Benny falls for Jack. It seems to be a match made in heaven until fate, in the form of Nan conspires against her.

We have to contend with the heart break of the death of Benny's father and of her betrayal by Nan and Jack. In the end she matures into a stronger woman and Nan leaves to have her baby.

This is a well played romantic drama. All of the players acquit themselves well, but why does Colin Firth always have to play such horrible people. This is one to sit down with and share with your partner to show your soft side.

Great movie, a little different than the book

[Kristinartist79 · 10/10 · 15 July 2006]

This was a great movie, but it was a little different than the book. Spoilers: Nan was friends with Benny and Eve since childhood in the movie. In the book, they met at college. I liked O'Donald's character better in the movie than in the book. In the book, he acted like a jerk to Benny when she was too busy taking care of her widowed mother. In the movie, though he did feel a little lonely and got a little impatient,he (up until he cheated on her) was a little more understanding. In the book, I thought they implied that Benny got together with her, but I think she left it up to the author to decide. Other users says they did not get back together. In the movie, they definitely did get back together. I liked the part where Benny hit the bag over that creep's head and the money spilled out! Nan and Eve were great for their part. Although I do not consider O'Donald gorgeous, he is talented. I read some users comments. I also noticed the flaw they made when they said they were making their confirmation, (as other users stated) which was really the communion. However, that was not important to me. A lot of users were critical about the movie being so centered around sex. I agree with them, that it did get too much after a while, but those are real problems that teens and young adults faced then, and now. But back then they did not have sex education. (just guilt, from the catholic church)Perhaps if people talked to them about the real consequences of having sex (rather that preaching about it being a mortal sin)they would not have so much of a desire to have it. I think if this were a real story, Benny would have made a big mistake by having sex(obviously unprotected) and it would be a shame for a talented smart writer like Benny to ruin her chance of having a career; however, the movie ended there. I do not think it was made to teach you that you should have premarital sex, (though realistically it happened, even then, though it was just not talked of) It was made to entertain. It was a romantic love story, not a life lesson. A lot of people were disappointed by the fact that Benny gave Jack and second chance, but at least in the movie, he was not a jerk like he was in the book, as I said. Somebody said that the parents looked old for parents back then, but it was not unusual for women to take years to get pregnet, or to have many miscarriages (sadly). Back then they did not have the prenatal care that they have now, or ways of getting pregnet. The fact that she had only one child was also unusual for that time, which also implies that the mother probably took a long time to conceive. So I thought using older parents was appropriate, and backed up justly. Overall, a great movie!

Touching but flawed Irish college soap opera

[roghache · 5/10 · 25 March 2006]

This rating reflects my ambivalent feelings about the movie...

I seem to recall the novel (which I read some years ago) as having a little more depth than the sexual experiences (or lack thereof) of its three heroines. The film comes off as a bit of a soap opera, 1950's Irish style. Although I'm not Catholic myself, my main problem with the movie (and Maeve Binchy's novels, to some extent) is the constant irritating depiction of the Catholic church as an oppressive institution that exists more or less for the primary purpose of sexually repressing its adherents. Also, the producers should have done some very basic research into Catholic traditions. As another reviewer also noted, it is extremely obvious (and not only to Catholics) that the opening religious ceremony in the film is not the three girls' Confirmation at all but their First Communion. The movie thus lost credibility to me from the outset.

The movie tells the story of three Irish friends who are embarking upon their college days...Benny, a rather biggish (supposedly) self conscious girl, Eve, a quiet orphan raised by nuns, and Nan, a lovely would be sophisticate who sets her cap for the young Protestant country squire, Simon. For business purposes, Benny's father is encouraging his shop employee, Sean, to court his daughter. However, Benny has fallen in love with a handsome college classmate and rugby star named Jack. Meanwhile, Nan and Simon are conducting a clandestine affair in Eve's cottage. After Nan discovers that she is pregnant, Simon indicates that he has no intention of marrying a girl of her social / financial status and suggests an abortion. To get out of her pickle, Nan then proceeds to seduce Jack and attempt to pass her baby off as his child.

Read the above... doesn't it all sound like a soap? Who's sleeping with who? Anyway, carrying on...

Minnie Driver gives a marvelous, sympathetic portrayal of Benny, a young girl insecure over her appearance, caught up in her first love and awakening desires, pursued by an unwelcome suitor, trapped with familial obligations following her father's sudden death, and ultimately betrayed by her boyfriend and one of her best friends. She's beautiful at the dance when she first reveals her vulnerability to Jack. I agree with those who claim that Benny is not sufficiently large for the role, not 'big as a rhinoceros' at all...attractive figure, just pudgy face...but that's a minor detail.

Chris O'Donnell is perfect as her dashing young love, convincing in his devastated reaction to the news of Nan's pregnancy and choosing to unhappily but nobly do the right thing, marry the girl. He's much more sympathetic in the movie, where he has only a one night moment of madness with Nan, than in the novel, where it's more of an affair. Eve seems well cast, but Sean's pilfering, lecherous, peeping tom character is definitely overdone, almost a caricature, as others have also noted.

Nan's character is well captured here, as the viewer (this one, at least) has sympathy for her genuine sense of giving herself to Sean when she loses her virginity, her betrayal by him when he hears of her pregnancy, and even to some extent her dastardly deed to both Jack and Benny for her own selfish interests. One point well brought out is that while Nan believes herself to have contempt for Catholicism, when it comes to abortion, we see that she has internalized at least some of the teachings of her faith.

Of course the Irish music is fantastic and the country scenery beautiful, the green hills, streams, and meandering roads. I was less impressed that the professor's lecture topics just happened to involve the sexual practices of savages. I certainly don't recall that from the novel, though it's been awhile. What is the likelihood that this would have been the class subject matter for a coed freshman class in Ireland back in the 1950's?

The film has a different ending than the novel, which will disappoint some readers. Normally this would infuriate me, but I found surprisingly that I didn't mind. In the book, Benny forgives Jack and remains friends with him, but, having gained confidence and a sense of independence, moves on with her life. Here of course we see a less complex storybook type ending with the couple getting together. Pity she has sex with him at the end...of course with a parting dig at the Catholic Church ('Bless me, Father, for I have sinned'). At least it's apparently at Benny's own instigation, not in response to pressure from Jack. The movie is really mainly sex...either wanting it, talking about it, or having it. Not much else to the story.

So...yes, a mixed review. Not the best morals and a certain mocking of Catholic teachings (or Christian teachings, in general), but kind of a touching story of first love, a sympathetic heroine, and that lovely Irish scenery.

Touching Movie

[dramachica · 9/10 · 10 August 2002]

I saw this movie a couple of days ago while I was flipping through TV channels (this is how I find most of my favorite movies). I stubbled upon this treasure of a movie. I completely identified with the lead character, played by Minnie Driver. She was a girl that knew who she was but not where she fit and I admired her for all her confidence and selfconsious-ness, it made the character a real person, like everyone else and me (except I don't life in Ireland in 1940's). But the movie pulls you and shows you the secrets that some are hiding and the friendships that will endure the test of time. This very much is a chick-flick, but for all those chicks out there who want to watch a movie about love, loss, friendship, and everything else that comes with life this is the movie for you. My recommendation is: watch it with your friends and boyfriends it is really great! (Oh yeah i loved how realistic Minnie Drivers accent was!)

Lame attempt at unlikely-girl-gets-guy story

[david_k · 4/10 · 18 April 2006]

This review contains SPOILERS, I'm trying to save you from seeing this movie.

I started watching this movie thinking I was going to like it. It looked like a coming of age tale, the 1950's Irish setting seemed appealing, the characters seemed interesting. The main character is a large, unattractive girl, Bennie, from a small town, and the story centers around her and her two friends, Eve and Nan. Eve was a simple girl with a moralistic bent, raised in a convent, while Nan grew up a sophisticated, big city girl in Dublin. The story really gets going while the three are at university. For a while it seemed like a sweet coming of age tale of some sort, but I should have been suspicious when all the excerpts of college lectures dealt with the sexual practices of savages, and with all the talk about sex, between the girls and between Bennie and her new boyfriend, a jock on campus and a pre-med major.

The movie goes along pretty innocently for quite a while. The girls were in school, and it looked like the girls were striving to expand their horizons, improve their situation. They go to a dance and are caught up with boyfriends. Then a lot of the action is compressed in the last half hour of the movie, turning the whole thing into a big, sappy soap opera. Nan services some guy, get rejected by the buffoon when they discover she's pregnant, then seduces Bennie's boyfriend in an attempt to trick HIM into marrying her. Eve finds out, approaches Nan with a bread knife, causing Nan to fall, get cut, and lose the baby. The boyfriend then returns to Bennie and she takes him back, and the movie ends as these two are finally about to go all the way. As it ends, you don't feel uplifted, Bennie hasn't learned anything or grown, she remains a big, unattractive girl, now with a boyfriend that knows he graze in greener pastures once in a while and she'll take him back.

Sweet and refreshing

[witchy_mac · 5 December 2000]

This is the first movie I ever saw with Minnie Driver, and I loved how the director made her get porked up for the role. We were meant to see the inner beauty of Benny, of course, but also to see that occasional external loveliness that can come through in her purely emotional situations.

Of course, I thought Nan was acting rather like a whore when she bedded Jack for all the wrong reasons, just as the audience was meant to despise such an act. As a whole, my emotions were pulled in all the right directions, so kudos to the directing crew!

A story of love, friendship, curiosity, betrayal, and forgiveness that hits all the right chords.

Glaring religious error!

[moviewatcher46 · 9/10 · 23 January 2006]

I just watched this movie with my teen-aged daughter. We both enjoyed it, and it brought an opportunity to think and talk about teen-aged sexual matters, especially "first-time" sex.

However, we did find an error in this Irish-Catholic movie, and that was in the opening scene where the three girls were receiving "Confirmation." In fact, they were receiving their First Holy Communion. This error was shocking! We expected to find it listed as a "goof" in the IMDb listing, but no goofs were given. Another thing we thought very strange was that Benny's parents looked so very old--old enough to be her grandparents. Considering the time line of the movie, most first-time parents in the '50s would have been young (20-ish, not 40-ish) when their first child was born. Maybe in the book it tells that the parents were older first-time parents.

Overall, a very enjoyable film.