Director
James Ponsoldt
Leading Actors/Actresses
Tom Hanks, Emma Watson
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Bill Paxton, Patton Oswalt, Glenne Headly, John Boyega, Ellar Coltrane
Genre
Thriller
Language
English
Awards
Teen Choice Award, Emma Watson, Best Actress; Razzie Award Nomination, Emma Watson, Worst Actress
Date of Release
April 26, 2017
Producer
Tom Hanks, James Ponsoldt, Gary Goetzman, Anthony Bregman
Setting and Context
Present day, in a company at the forefront of social media and technology
Narrator and Point of View
The point of view is that of Mae Holland
Tone and Mood
The tone is philosophical in that the movie calls into question the ethics of what The Circle Corporation are doing; the mood is threatening, ominous and gripping.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Mae is the protagonist; Mercer is the antagonist
Major Conflict
There is conflict between Mae and Mercer after her decision to go transparent brings a great deal of pain and controversy onto him.
Climax
Mercer hides in his cabin in the woods, wanting to get away from it all, but the SeaChange technology locates him, and hounds him to his death.
Foreshadowing
Mae's decision to go transparent foreshadows the fact that she has also sacrificed the privacy of her family and friends.
Understatement
The technology is described as frightening and invasive by Mae's parents but this understates the issue in that it is life-changing for the whole of humanity.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
No specific examples.
Allusions
The social media platform created by Ty Lafitte alludes to sites such as Facebook and Myspace.
Paradox
Mae is connected to a world full of random strangers thanks to her decision to go transparent but is now alienated from her family and friends. She is lonely but never alone.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between Mae's decision to go transparent and the loss of privacy and quality of life experienced by her friends and family.
