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The Circle Reviews

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Banned in Iran, Jafar Panahi's THE CIRCLE is set almost entirely on the busy streets of Tehran - a place where women are restricted by numerous laws, including a repressive dress code, and can only travel accompanied by a man. The beginning of the film focuses on two women, Arezou (Mariam Palvin Almani) and Nargess (Nargess .. Read more

Starring	Maryiam Parvin Almani, Nargess Mamizadeh, Monir Arab, Mojgan Faramarzi
Director	Jafar Panahi
Genres	Drama

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Critic's review of The Circle
View all critics' reviews (6)
- "...One of the deepest impressions THE CIRCLE leaves is of the terrifying but also in its way thrilling complexity of experience..."
- 10058
- - New York Times
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of The Circle
View all members' reviews (24)
- - 15
  - 3
  Round and round it goes...
  
  The Circle follows in a weary, er, circle the lives of a random selection of Iranian women who are down on their luck.
  
  The point-of-view shifts like ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 9119
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - StuPC
  - South London
  - 07 Jul 2004 at 09:11
Most recent members' reviews of The Circle
View all members' reviews (24)
- - 0
  - 0
  Completely another world.
  
  Though probably there is a lot of stereotyping in this movie, it does seem to offer some insight into what can go on in the streets of Iran. It's quite ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1065138
- - Onlyests
  - 47 reviews
  - 20 Nov 2011 at 20:46
- - 0
  - 0
  a film all western women should watch
  
  Jafar Panahi's THE CIRCLE is a most unusual film. It grips the viewer from the outset with its all-pervading sense of unnamed menace. This film needs a ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1046739
- - JoGlos
  - 3 reviews
  - Stroud
  - 01 Oct 2011 at 22:23
- - 0
  - 0
  I loved it
  
  Hmmnn...Freudian slip - I meant to write 'I Loved it' as the title and typed 'I lived it' by mistake. But that is almost as accurate. Jafar ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 973014
- - a customer
  - London
  - 14 Mar 2011 at 16:32
- - 0
  - 0
  Actually quite funny
  
  There's a realism and a tension in this film, which seems to be 'boring' for some viewers. However, I found this film comical; throughout the film ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 945388
- - a customer
  - Cainscross
  - 08 Dec 2010 at 07:32
- - 0
  - 1
  The Circle
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  I was really looking forward to this film, I thought I would be getting an insight into Iran. But the film: well, it was a lost opportunity. Its banned in Iran ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 849761
- - iapuser
  - 1 review
  - Croydon
  - 16 Jan 2010 at 09:07
- - 0
  - 2
  awful
  
  Dismal, dreary, awful. Not representative of usually thought provoking Iranian cinema.
  
  Report this review
- 759498
- - a customer
  - UK
  - 19 May 2009 at 06:54
- - 0
  - 0
  Fresh and clever!
  
  Starting off with the audio only birth of a girl in a hospital this film follows a series of linked female characters through the streets of modern day Iran. ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 731748
- - a customer
  - Scotland
  - 24 Mar 2009 at 13:32
- - 0
  - 0
  The Circle
  
  I enjoyed this film, although no real plot takes place. It is a gentle voyeuristic narrative of two traumatic lives. You begin to empathise with their strict ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 726241
- - Sarack
  - 11 reviews
  - Manchester
  - 14 Mar 2009 at 22:35
- - 0
  - 0
  Surprisingly watchable
  
  You might suspect this will be harrowing, arcane, worthy or whatever other word describes something you 'ought' to watch but probably won't.
  <... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 683669
- - a customer
  - Isle of Skye
  - 08 Jan 2009 at 14:25
- - 2
  - 1
  The Circle
  
  Very poor film, with a flimsy story line. The first half an hour had some suspense, but this didn't develop, it could have been so much more powerful.
  
  Report this review
- 615151
- - a customer
  - Bedford
  - 17 Aug 2008 at 20:24
View all members' reviews (24)

- - 15
  - 3
  Round and round it goes...
  
  The Circle follows in a weary, er, circle the lives of a random selection of Iranian women who are down on their luck.
  
  The point-of-view shifts like ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 9119
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - StuPC
  - South London
  - 07 Jul 2004 at 09:11
- - 5
  - 0
  Astonishing masterpiece
  
  On first viewing this strikes me as one of the greatest, most profound films I've ever seen, and I teach film studies so I've seen a lot. I'm still... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 327666
- - bedouingoose
  - Northumberland
  - 18 Mar 2005 at 21:13
- - 5
  - 1
  The film is more a ...
  
  The film is more a documentary than a movie and if you expect to see something happening this film is not for you. It is interesting to know about the situation... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 31826
- - Francisco#2
  - LONDON
  - 30 Mar 2004 at 12:52
- - 4
  - 0
  The circle
  
  Extremely esoteric film about women in Iran who have escaped from jail. The story, such as it is, tells you almost nothing about the women or why they have been... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 589648
- - a customer
  - Wellington
  - 28 Jun 2008 at 14:50
- - 2
  - 1
  Round and round and round
  
  A rather bleak picture of the life of women in Iran, although the director claims it is not just about Iran or women.
  
  The film follows the lives of ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 313753
- - Misco
  - 16 reviews
  - Kelso
  - 10 Nov 2004 at 20:10
- - 2
  - 1
  The Circle
  
  Very poor film, with a flimsy story line. The first half an hour had some suspense, but this didn't develop, it could have been so much more powerful.
  
  Report this review
- 615151
- - a customer
  - Bedford
  - 17 Aug 2008 at 20:24
- - 3
  - 3
  I love a lot of '...
  
  I love a lot of 'world cinema' but I really stuggled to get into this as it was exceptionally tedious. Some interesting insights into life in Tehran but... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 31750
- - jammin#1
  - WEYBRIDGE
  - 29 Mar 2004 at 16:34
- - 2
  - 2
  Worth watching for its...
  
  Worth watching for its insights into the life of women in Teheran and for its street scenes. The actors are amateur and the plot is rudimentary, but this is ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 38891
- - Wind_Pilot#1
  - ROMSEY
  - 20 Jun 2004 at 18:09
- - 1
  - 1
  Challenging watching through western eyes.
  
  Slow but interesting peek into Iranian culture and themes being explored. The movie deals with a circle of three women on the run from the penial system and ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 94795
- - a customer
  - Belfast
  - 20 Apr 2005 at 18:25
- - 0
  - 0
  Hmmm
  
  It started out well, with the scene where a girl baby is born and the relatives all refuse to believe it's a girl because that's a bad thing. You want ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 319816
- - RainbowQueen
  - Bury
  - 22 Jan 2005 at 12:24

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Critics' reviews
- "...One of the deepest impressions THE CIRCLE leaves is of the terrifying but also in its way thrilling complexity of experience..."
- 10058
- - New York Times
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59
- A quantum leap forward from Panahi's films about children, this is a panoramic account of the various ways women are... read more on Time Out
- 44710
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:15
- "...Restrained yet powerful, devastating in its emotional effects, THE CIRCLE is a landmark in Iranian cinema..."
- 10057
- - Los Angeles Times
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59
- "...THE CIRCLE uses the quests of its characters to provide a subtle and original evocation of city life..."
- 10060
- - Sight and Sound
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59
- "...[Panahi] graduates to a new elegance of vocabulary..."
- 10056
- - Entertainment Weekly
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59
- "...A political fireball....A raw, riveting film..."
- 10059
- - Rolling Stone
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59

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- The Circle
  
  Banned in Iran, Jafar Panahi's THE CIRCLE is set almost entirely on the busy streets of Tehran - a place where women are restricted by numerous laws, including a repressive dress code, and can only travel accompanied by a man. The beginning of the film focuses on two women, Arezou (Mariam Palvin ...