Search - Circle of Friends on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Suitable for Teens Movie Release: 1995 DVD Release: 03/31/1998 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 42 mins Studio: HBO Home Video Members Wishing: 15 Genres: Drama, Romance, Romantic Drama, Coming-of-Age

Set in 1957, this romantic coming-of-age story follows three childhood friends from a small town in Ireland as they head to Dublin to attend Trinity College. Nan (Saffron Burrows), a year older than her friends and already in her second year at Trinity, is ambitious, romantic, and just a bit reckless. She hopes to win the hand of Simon (Colin Firth), an older Protestant land-owner who would help her rise up the social and economic ladder. Eve (Geraldine O'Rawe), a bit more pragmatic and cautious, finds herself falling for a boy named Aidan (Aidan Gillen). Bernadette (Minnie Driver), called "Benny" by her friends and family, comes from strict parents who won't allow her to live on campus, forcing her to commute back and forth from classes every day. Bennie's father, a haberdasher, has always expected that his daughter, a bit plainer and plumper than her friends, will marry his shop's manager, an odd duck named Sean (Alan Cumming). But at Trinity, Bennie discovers that she fancies a tall, good-looking rugby player named Jack (Chris O'Donnell), and to the surprise of Bennie and everyone else, it turns out that Jack fancies her as well. Circle of Friends gave Minnie Driver her breakthrough film role after her initial success as a television actress in Britain. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Chris O'Donnell - Jack Foley
Minnie Driver - Bernadette "Benny"
Geraldine O'Rawe - Eve
Saffron Burrows - Nan
Alan Cumming - Sean

Pat O'Connor's cinematic adaptation of Maeve Binchy's Circle of Friends comes to DVD with a widescreen transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. A closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1, a French soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Surround, and a Dolby Digital Mono Spanish soundtrack is also available. There are no subtitles on this release. Supplemental materials include complete cast bios and the original theatrical trailer. This disc does a fine job capturing the film on home video, but considering the inexpensive list price, that is the best that can be expected. The winning performances by the young cast members shine just as brightly on the small screen as they did in theaters. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide