The Berkshire Eagle from Pittsfield, Massachusetts • 22

The Eagle Entertainment C6 Wednesday, April 12, 1995 Driver is engaging at center of 'Circle Movie Review l2 Dinner-theater comedies postponed LENOX Offstage Repertory Company has postponed its dinner-theater presentation of three one-act comedies which had been scheduled to be performed this weekend at the Lenox House Restaurant. The production will be rescheduled for a later date. Offstage Repertory's next dinner-theater production at the Lenox House will be "Greater Tuna," April 30 and May 5 and 7. jbbbIbbbW bbLbHbbi 10M A hiBhItI mmr bbbbI "LbM Eb 'bbbBN BbV 1 bP jfl H'B WF A kll bubbbbbbbSbbbbbbbbbbbbbU' aS mm IbLvbbbbbbbLH mm mm Mm CIRCLE OF FRIENDS (PG-13). Directed by Pat O'Connor; screenplay by Andrew Davies, based upon the novel by Maeve Binchy; director of photography, Ken MacMillan; production designed by Jim Clay; film editor, John Jympson; costumes designer, Anushia Nierdazik, music by Michael Kamen; produced by Artene Sellers, Alex Winitstcy and Frank Price; executive producer, Terence Clegg.

A Savoy Pictures release. At Berkshire Mall Cinemas 10, Mahalwe Theatre, and Pittsfierd Cinema Center. Running time: 105 minutes Jack Chris O'Donnell Benny Minnie Driver Eve Qeraidine ORawe i 1 Top weekend Nan Saffron Burrows Sean Alan Cumming Simon Westward Colin Firth Aidan Aidan Gillen Dan Hogan Mick LaSy Mrs. Hogan Britta Smith Brian Mahon John Kavanagh movies Weekend of April 7-9, 1995 All dollar figures in millions Savoy Emily Mahon Ruth McCabe Professor Fhnn Ciaran Hinds Dr. Foley Tony Doyle Mrs.

Foley Marie Mullen Three small town Irish girls, from left, Benny (Minnie Driver), Eve (Geraldine O'Rawe) and Nan (Saffron Burrows), go off to college in Dublin in search of adventure and romance in the new film, 'Circle of based on a novel by Maeve Binchy. Excellent; Fair, Poor, 0 Good; Save your money By Jeffrey Borak Berkshire Eagle Staff "Circle of Friends" is a coming-of-age comedy-drama that has a great deal going for it. It has charming and evocative Irish scenery Its characters, especially its college students, are believable and dimensional. And it has a potential star in newcomer Minnie Driver, whose radiant presence fuels the film's most captivating moments and buoys the film when it falters. How much more unfortunate, then, that "Circle of Friends" never fully regains its lost momentum.

Based on a semiautobiographical novel by Maeve Binchy, "Circle of Friends" traces the sexual and social maturation of three girls Benny, Nan and Eve who grow up together in a small town near Dublin and continue their friendship through college. The story, at least initially, focuses on Benny (Minnie Driver), the plain-Jane daughter of a small town haberdasher. Unlike this year's other plain Jane, Muriel in the Australian comedy-drama "Muriel's Wedding," Benny is the product of a decent home and caring, loving Catholic parents who want the best for her. Typically, they also are a bit overprotective. Benny's deal with her father is New album to honor Selena Houston Chronicle EMI Records is putting together a retrospective Selena album that will include both English and Spanish songs, a company executive said.

At the time of her death, Selena had completed four tracks on what was to have been her English-language debut for the EMISBK label. Although the tribute album is still in the planning stages, it will include those tracks as well as a duet Selena recorded with David Byrne for the movie "Don Juan DeMarco" that was cut from the film. Movie Schedules that she can attend college in Dublin but she can't live there. So, every night at six, Benny hops the bus back home while her friends stay behind. Gross lo run.

wMks Weekend release, number of Koreans gross Bad Boys $15.5 $15.5, one week, 132 screens I A Goofy Movie $6.13 $6.13, one week. I I Tommy Boy $6.12 I $16 2, two weeks, 2,186 screens Don Juan De Marco $4.5 $4.5, one week, 1,1 10 screens (' g- Outbreak $4 $54 5, Irve weeks, 2,1 46 screens ft Circle of Friendt $3.7 $9 3 (ouf weekSi 798 saeens 6 -J Dolores Claiborne $3 $16.2. three weeks, 1,256 screens ft Major Payne $2.8 1 8 .2, Ihree weeks, 1 ,99 1 saeens Rob Roy $2 52, one week. 133 screens 10 Muriel'Weddin9 $1.73 $9.6. live weeks, 840 screens ments that involve an unwanted pregnancy, business chicanery and an attempted rape.

While it is all handled in low-key fashion, it's enough to pull "Circle of Friendsv off track. As the focus shifts to Benny's friends, particularly Nan, a promising film of modest appeal and charm loses direction and becomes ordinary and pedestrian. Not until the end, when Benny and Jack struggle to re-establish lost ground, does "Circle of Friends" come full circle, regaining the humanity and charm that Without cloying, "Circle of Friends" makes an honest effort to explore the pressures in a group of young people growing up in the late '50s in a society that is defined by a clear set of rules and expectations, none of which take into account basic human sexual, social and intellectual needs. It is the honesty and insightful simplicity of that vision that sustains "Circle of Friends" through much of its first half that and Driver's thoroughly appealing and winning performance as a young person who proves to be resourceful, spirited and, after a trial by fire, determined to get nothing less than what she needs. as Foley but he is essentially little more than a pretty face.

Cumming delivers a vivid portrayal of the self-serving, opportunistic Sean and Mick Lally is affecting as Benny's father, a man who suddenly is confronted by the temperament of a younger generation that clearly differs from his own. Saffron Burrows and Geraldine O'Rawe are believable as Benny's closest friends, respectively, Nan, who uses her budding sexuality to gain social advantage, and Eve, an orphan raised by nuns who maintains a clearly defined balance in her life. In an effort to build some drama into all this, "Circle of Friends" plunges into soap opera develop marks its beginnings. As played by Driver, Benny is a young woman of enormous curiosity, humor and determination. She also is somewhat insecure.

Overweight and not as immediately attractive as Nan and Eve, Benny is overlooked, if not downright ignored or laughed at, by most boys her age. At home, she is the object of leering interest by a reptilian ambitious young man named Sean (Alan Cumming), who manages her father's shop and clearly has designs on the family business, as well as Benny. Benny is somewhat astonished, therefore, when she realizes that Jack Foley (Chris O'Donnell), the handsome young star of the college rugby team, is genuinely interested in her. Hated PG-13 chiefly for dis AP Source: Exhibitor Relations Inc. creetly handled sexual situations and innuendo and hints of marital abuse.

O'Donnell does the best he can HoSIs CINEMAS BARGAIN MATINEES BEFORE 6PM DON JUAN DE MARCO CPG13) JURY DUTY (PG131 BORN TO BE WILD (PG) 12:50 FORREST GUMP (PG13) MURIEL'S WEDDING (Rl 9:20 'Bad Boys' strikes it rich By Constance Sommer Associated Press LOS ANGELES "Bad Boys" opened in first place at the box office. The Columbia Pictures action-comedy starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith grossed $15.5 million in the biggest opening weekend so far this year. Despite lackluster reviews, "Tommy Boy" continued to do well in its second week of release, finishing third with $6.12 million in ticket sales. No. 2 was "A Goofy Movie" with $6.13 million.

"Rob Roy," debuting in very limited release, averaged $15,213 per location, the largest average of the weekend. "Circle of Friends," also in limited release, continued to gain strength, rising from seventh to sixth place with a $3.7 million take. Meanwhile, "Forrest Gump" surpassed "Star Wars" over the weekend to become the third-highest grossing domestic movie ever. The domestic grosses for "Forrest Gump" reached $323.6 million on Saturday, said Paramount Motion Picture Group vice chairman Barry London. The only films with a larger domestic gross are "E.T.

The Extra-Terrestrial" and "Jurassic Park," which is number one. "Star Wars" opened on May 25, 1977, and grossed $322.7 million. Berkshire MaN Cinema 10 (Lanesboro): Circle ol Friends (PG13) 12:25 3:55. 6:55 9:35: The Goofy Movie (G) 12:20, 2:15, 4:05, 7 9:30: Don Juan De Marco (PG13) 12:45 3:35, 6:40 Jury Duty (PG13) 12:25, 2:10. 4, 6:35.

9:50: Bad Boys (R) 12:35, 3:50, 6:45 Tommy Boy (PG 13) 1, 3:40, 6:30 The Pebble and the Penguin (G) 12:15, 2:05. 3:45 Dolores Claiborne (R) 12:30, 3:30. 6:25 Muriel's Wedding (R) Bom to be Wild (PG) Forrest Gump (PG13) 3:25, Major Payne (PG13) 12:55, 3:45, 6:50 4 10; Outbreak (R) 7:45 10:20. Pittsfield Cinema Center: The Pebble the Penguin (G) 7:15 Jury Duty (PG13) 7:15 Dolores Claiborne (R) 6:40 Bad Boys (R) 6:45 Muriel's Wedding (R) 6:45 Tommy Boy (PG13) 7 Cirde of Friends (PG13) 7:15 The Goofy Movie (G) 7:15 4 Pulp Fiction (R) 7:15 only; Forrest Gump(PG13) 7:15 only. North Adams Cinema 6: The Goofy Movie (G) 6:45 4 Bad Boys (R) 7 4 Tommy Boy (P13G) 6:55 4 Dolores Clairbome (R) 6:50 4 Bye Bye Love (PG13) 7:05 only; Muriels Wedding (R) 9:35 only; Major Payne (PG13) 7:10 only; Outbreak (R) 9:25 only.

Image Cinema (Wllllametown): Muriel's Wedding (R) 7 4 9. Mahalwe Theater (Great Barrlngton): Circle of Friends (PG13) 6:45 4 9:30. Crandall Theatre (Chatham, N.Y.): Forrest Gump (PG13) 7 4 9:30. DOLORES CLAIBORNE (R) THE GOOFY 1 MOVIE (G) TOMMY 1 BOY (PG13) PEBBLE PENgUIN j) CIRCLE OF 55 FRIENDS 1PG13) MAJOR PAYNE IESU31 BAD BOYS (R) 50-6 45-3 45 CIRCLE OF FRIENDS (PG13) Spring Short Sleeve SUITS DRESSES Famous Maker COORDIMUS 30()FF OUR DISCOUNTED PRICES $099 $2Q99 Spring Is Here Special CAPE COD Getaway DUNES MOTOR INN PLEASE CALL FOR INFORMATION RESERVATIONS 79 3 NIGHTS Per Room Mm Plus Tax bj DEPT. STORE PRICE $64 DEPT.

STORE PRICE $140 300 YardM To Th, Biachl Including Weekends! Holiday Rates Higher Free Continental Breakfasts Double Occupancy Valid April 21 to June 13, 1995 170 Seaview Ave. South Yarmouth, MA 02664 (508) 398-3062 Bring in this coupon and receive They've got real good stuff at Co AN UYTDA 20 Oft ANY SINGLE ITEM MAN OF THE HOUSE (PG) (12:45 DOLORES CLAIBORNE (R) 6:40 9:00 (12:45 BAD BOYS (B) 6:45 8:00 MAJOR PAYNE (P) (12:45 3:10) MURIEL'S WEDDING 6:45 9:00 CIRCLE OF (1:00 FRIENDS (PG13) 7:15 9:00 TOMMY BOY (pgi3) yo THE PEBBLE (1:00 THE PENGUIN (G) 7:15 9:00 JURY DUTY (PG13) oo THE GOOFY (1:00 3:10) MOVIE (G) 7:15 9:00 BORN TO BE WILD (PG) (1:00 PULP FICTION (PQ13) 7:16 FORREST GUMP (PG13) 7:15 my Grandpa's bakery! Great Easter eggs, bunnies, cookies, cupcakes, and holiday bread. MNCCMDH Not valid on 50 off merchandise. Cannot be combined with ny other offer or coupon. Not valid on previous purchases, grft certificate or prtor leyeweys.

Expiree 41895 ill DRfiSSBARN So come on down to the Pittsfield Rye Bakery and pick up your Easter pastries and breads. Call ahead for your Easter orders We wish you a joyous Easter and a Happy Passover, from Arnie, Linda, and Rick. Pittsfield Rye Bakery 502 East Pittsfield 443-9141 NOBODY SELLS FASHION FOR LESS ALLENDALE SHOPPING CENTER CHESHIRE ROAD. PITTSFIELD Instant Ads: Those little boxes at the bottom of page Bl Monday -Saturday can reach 100,000 readers overnight. For information phone 447-7311, ext.

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