The Circle (2017)

★ 5.5 1h 50m 4,570 votes IMDb

A young tech worker takes a job at a powerful Internet corporation, quickly rises up the company's ranks, and soon finds herself in a perilous situation concerning privacy, surveillance and freedom. She comes to learn that her decisions and actions will determine the future of humanity.

The Circle

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Cast

Emma Watson
Emma Watson as Mae Holland Age 36 · Paris, France Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (born 15 April 1990) is an English actress and activist. She has gained recognition for her roles in both blockbusters and independent films, as well as her women's rights...
Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks as Eamon Bailey Age 69 · Concord, California, USA Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, Hanks is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and...
John Boyega
John Boyega as Ty Lafitte Age 34 · Peckham, London, England, UK John Adedayo Bamidele Adegboyega (born 17 March 1992), known professionally as John Boyega, is a British actor and producer. He first gained recognition in Britain for his role as a teenage gang leade...
Karen Gillan
Karen Gillan as Annie Allerton Age 38 · Inverness, Scotland, UK Karen Sheila Gillan (/ˈɡɪlən/; born 28 November 1987) is a Scottish actress and filmmaker. She gained recognition for her work in British film and television, particularly for playing Amy Pond, a prim...
Ellar Coltrane
Ellar Coltrane as Mercer Regalado Age 31 · Austin, Texas, USA Ellar Coltrane (born August 27, 1994) is an American actor. They are best known for their role as Mason Evans Jr. in Richard Linklater's film Boyhood, for which they won the Critics' Choice Movie Awa...
Patton Oswalt
Patton Oswalt as Tom Stenton Age 57 · Portsmouth, Virginia, USA Patton Peter Oswalt (born January 27, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian, writer, and actor. Oswalt first began performing standup comedy in the late 1980s. After spending two seasons writing for...

Audience Reviews

Reno 6/10 Nov 29, 2017
**Despite a message film, an average!**

A book based film. Pretty much set in the present world scenario. The world where the internet, the social media is controlling people. If any revolution must take place, that's none other place than the virtual world. So a young woman who worked hard to get a job in a leading tech company, starts her life anew. At one end, aged and seriously ill parents, and the other end, making an unexpected leap in the workplace lead her to be a celebrity overnight. But it's only going to change her life forever, but how is to know, one must watch the film.

It was an Emma Watson's film. Tom Hanks was is an important role, but Watson led the show. Nice theme, but predictable storyline. I indeed guessed the end, which spoiled my watch. Slightly an awareness film too. Not all the technology can make life better, but sometimes opposite. Particularly, the film highlighted the privacy issue, how important it is for everyone. And at a same time, transparency too can bring a major change in society. But it all depends on the people and their professions. Surely not to be missed, despite you enjoy it or dislike it.

**6/10**
GenerationofSwine 1/10 Jan 12, 2023
There are some shows that have a character for exposition. Velma in Scooby Doo comes to mind, and it is their job to summarize the plot points that the viewer has missed.

This is a movie filled with Velmas. Everyone gives a little exposition, everyone has a lecture. And no one seems real because of it. The characters, good or bad, all sound scripted and monotoned.

It hurts to watch it.
RalphRahal 4/10 Feb 07, 2025
The Circle had a solid premise with relevant themes about privacy, surveillance, and corporate power, but it never fully delivered on its potential. The plot starts strong, setting up an intriguing world and characters, but the pacing feels off. It spends too much time in the setup and then rushes through key developments, making the shift into the main conflict feel unbalanced. The directing is straightforward but lacks tension, which makes scenes that should be gripping feel flat. Visually, the cinematography is clean and polished, reflecting the sleek, tech-driven setting, but it doesn’t do much beyond that to enhance the storytelling.

The acting is decent, with Emma Watson delivering a capable performance, though at times she feels a bit restrained. Tom Hanks is solid as always, but his character isn't given much depth. The script is where the movie really struggles. It introduces big ideas but never explores them in a meaningful way, instead leaning into melodrama without the payoff. The score is functional but forgettable, failing to add any real weight to the narrative. Overall, it’s a movie with a lot of potential that ends up feeling more like a missed opportunity than a thought-provoking thriller.

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