Regardless of what it teases, “The Circle” doesn’t really go anywhere and that may be its biggest flaw – lots of potential, practically all of it wasted.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 19, 2022

The film never delves into a thorough consideration of its concept; and what's more, the story lacks a narrative thrust to support its otherwise neat ideas.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Apr 4, 2022

The sort of movie that's convinced of its own urgency and importance, even as viewers only see something that's obvious and overbearing.

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Nov 1, 2021

What qualities make up that person's character? How do those qualities show themselves in daily living? "The Circle" doesn't really answer these questions but it does raise questions about how we make choices.

| Aug 25, 2021

I hesitate to use the word "plot." The inconsistent arrangement of happenings?

| Jul 6, 2021

Often feels like an Exposition-A-Thon, a message in search of a story.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Feb 28, 2021

The Circle isn't so much thrilling as it is confusing.

| Jan 2, 2021

Unfortunately, this film will prove largely forgettable. It has botched what could have been interesting concept with convoluted plotting, ridiculous character development and melodramatic dialogue.

| Original Score: 4/10 | Jul 12, 2020

Director James Ponsoldt excelled at tweaking out the slapstick social-comedy of an old baseball umpire... In The Circle, the comedy is just as palpable, but the laughs may stick in your throat.

| Jun 8, 2020

Director James Ponsoldt (who adapted the book with Eggers) barely develops any character besides Watson's, piling on narrative complications instead.

| Apr 9, 2020

James Ponsoldt's film is an egregious adaptation neutered of all the chilling entertainment of the Dave Eggers novel on which the film is based.

| Feb 27, 2020

The Circle is absolutely a failure, but it's an interesting one.

| Feb 19, 2020

The Circle is eerily pertinent. If only it could have been a smarter, more vehement piece of social commentary, than perhaps it could have also seemed prescient.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 9, 2019

Do you like Black Mirror but wish it was far, far less interesting and clever? Do you think more movies these days need multiple fake TED Talks segments? Do you consider kayaking a suitable major plot point?

| Original Score: D | Jun 25, 2019

Watson and Hanks do their best, but the film lacks anything resembling dramatic tension, and ends on an almost laughably truncated climax

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Jun 4, 2019

Poor characters, writing and tone.

| Original Score: D- | Mar 13, 2019

The actors try to rise above the mediocre script... but to no avail, and the ending is too neatly wrapped up.

| Mar 9, 2019

[The Circle] is a suspenseless thriller that isn't nearly as smart as it wants us to think it is, featuring a talented cast that is given oddly little to actually do.

| Original Score: 1.5/5 | Feb 12, 2019

Watson's integration into the creepily inclusive company does suck you into the story, but her journey to becoming its poster girl and eventual whistle-blower is less convincing.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Jan 8, 2019

It succeeds by showing restraint, however, just lacks something that would inject the emotional weight it required.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Dec 21, 2018