Circle of Friends 1995

In the quaint Irish town of Knockglen during the 1950s, three childhood friends - Bernadette “Benny” Hogan (Minnie Driver), Eve Malone, and Nan Mahon (Saffron Burrows) - share a unique bond, forged during their First Communion celebration. The stark contrast between their early years is striking: Benny, the favored only child with every comfort at her disposal; Eve, an orphan raised by nuns in a life of simplicity; and Nan, poor but blessed with natural beauty that would soon become her defining characteristic.

Fast-forward six years, and the trio has grown into young women. Nan, having already departed for university, reunites with Benny and Eve as they prepare to follow in her footsteps. Their paths are shaped by their circumstances: Eve’s education is sponsored by the wealthy Westward Protestant family, who have also bequeathed her a cozy cottage on their property. Meanwhile, Benny commutes daily between Knockglen and Dublin, where she struggles to balance school with her parents’ expectations of an arranged marriage to Sean Walsh, a dubious suitor.

As they navigate university life in Dublin, the girls reconnect with Nan, now a confident and alluring young woman who is well-versed in the art of captivating men. Benny finds herself smitten with Jack Foley, a charming rugby player and medical student from a prominent family, though he’s torn between his passion for medicine and his desire to forge his own path.

Nan, meanwhile, becomes entwined with Simon Westward, a mature and affluent Irish aristocrat, who is captivated by her beauty. While Benny remains resolute in resisting physical intimacy, Nan believes she has found true love with Simon. The delicate balance of their relationships is disrupted when Benny’s father passes away suddenly, prompting her to abandon university life and return to Knockglen to help her mother manage the family business.

In the midst of this emotional turmoil, a mystery unfolds as discrepancies emerge in the Hogan family’s financial records, sparking a quest to uncover the truth behind the missing funds. As the girls confront their personal struggles and the secrets surrounding their families’ businesses come to light, they must rely on each other to find the strength to overcome the challenges ahead.

As the sun dips below the horizon, Eve’s secluded cottage within the Westward estate transforms into a haven for revelry among the three young women and their companions. Nan and Simon indulge in clandestine trysts, but their illicit affair takes an unexpected turn when Nan becomes pregnant. Simon’s subsequent abandonment leaves her desperate, and she concocts a plan to ensnare Jack at a raucous rugby party. Her wiles prove successful, and Jack finds himself agreeing to marry Nan under the false pretenses of being the father.

As Eve begins to suspect Nan’s duplicity, she stumbles upon a crucial clue in the cottage fireplace that unravels the tangled web of deceit. Confronting Nan at a lavish gathering, her treachery is finally exposed, and Jack, tending to Nan’s wounds after a fateful tumble into a glass cabinet, discovers an unexpected calling in medicine.

Nan, realizing she cannot raise her child within a marriage built on falsehoods, calls off the engagement with Jack. He gallantly escorts her to the train station, where she pleads for forgiveness from him and Benny before departing for England to deliver or terminate her pregnancy, seeking a fresh start.

Meanwhile, curiosity gets the better of Benny, who sneaks into Sean’s quarters above the tailor shop. His attempt at assault sparks a fierce fight, during which Benny uncovers the embezzled funds he has siphoned from her family over time. Demanding his departure, Sean curses her, predicting she will remain a spinster forever.

Months pass before Jack returns to win back Benny’s affections. Though initially hesitant, she gradually warms up to him as he demonstrates his commitment and humility by devoting himself to his studies. Eventually, Benny relents, accepting his love and proposal of marriage, but only after exacting a promise that it will take time for him to regain her trust.