Review of The Circle (2017) by Frédéric H — 29 Apr 2017

Is it a thriller? A satire? Both? Neither? It's hard to tell, since the filmmakers obviously didn't know what they were doing or trying to achieve. This overwrought, unfocused mess can't decide what it wants to be.

Despite a decent performance by Tom Hanks and an attempt to address issues of social relevance (halfhearted though it may be), the picture's largely preposterous story line, monodimensional character development, and abysmal performances by Emma Watson and (especially) Ellar Coltrane sink this one rather quickly, leaving viewers longing for the ending far ahead of when it actually comes.

Handily one of the biggest disappointments of the year thus far.