Circle of Friends is a 1995 film directed by Irish filmmaker Pat O'Connor, and based on the 1990 novel of the same name written by Maeve Binchy.

[2] Set in 1950s Ireland, the film opens with the First Communion of three friends in the small town of Knockglen: Bernadette "Benny" Hogan, Eve Malone and Nan Mahon.

Benny is the beloved and well-fed only child of the local tailor, Eve is an orphan reared by nuns, and Nan is destined to be defined by her beauty.

Eve's education is financed by the local landowning family, the Westwards, who employed her father before his death.

She initially assumes she isn't sophisticated or pretty enough for him, but after spending time together at the College Ball they begin dating.

When Benny's father dies, she suspends her studies to care for her mother and run the family shop.

She notices funds are missing from the business and suspects Sean is responsible, but lacks proof.

In a voiceover, Benny says Jack addressed his studies and pursued her, while she moved to Dublin to share a flat with Eve.

Her mother was a Westward but the family disowned her when she married Eve's father, who worked as a gardener on the estate.

Circle of Friends was positively received by critics, as the film holds a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 36 reviews.