The Circle

[projekktor id=’27831′]

The Circle is a sci-fi drama thriller directed by James Ponsoldt and based on Dave Eggers’ 2013 novel of the same name. The film stars Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, Ellar Coltrane, John Boyega, Patton Oswalt, Bill Paxton, Glenne Headly, and Karen Gillan. The screenplay for the film was written by Ponsoldt and Egger.

When Mae (Watson) is hired to work for The Circle, the world’s largest and most powerful tech and social media company, she sees it as the opportunity of a lifetime. As she rises through the ranks, she is encouraged by the company’s charismatic founder, Eamon Bailey (Hanks), to engage in a ground-breaking experiment that pushes the boundaries of privacy, ethics, and ultimately her personal freedom. Her participation in the experiment, and her every decision begin to affect the lives and future of her friends, family and that of humanity.

“I’ve been a big fan of Dave Eggers’ writing since his first book, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius,” says Ponsoldt, “so I was excited to read The Circle. I found it chilling, hilarious, and shockingly prescient in its examination of how utopian ideals might quickly transform into an invasive surveillance state. To be honest, I think I was most unnerved by how much I could relate to the novel’s protagonist.”

The Circle is rated PG.