MovieChat Forums > The Circle (2017) Discussion > Curious if the film will retain the book...

Curious if the film will retain the book's ending

posted 7 years ago by Sandoz (2021)
7 replies | jump to latest

The novel was a fun, quick read (reminded me of the type of scientific-thriller fiction Michael Crichton used to write). Not great, just entertaining.

[spoiler]: I'm curious, though, if the movie will have the guts not to change the ending of the book, which ends somewhat pessimistically for Emma Watson's character. It echoes back to the granddaddy novel of all dystopian tales--1984--in the way that its main character is basically broken and submits to the will of the ruling powers.

Seeing as how this is a Hollywood movie, if I was gonna bet on whether it does or not, I'd say it won't end with a downbeat ending, but one that at least introduces some hope into the tale.

[–] lasteven (305) 7 years ago

I heard an interview on NPR with David Edelstein the film critic which said the film's ending went in the complete opposite direction, but I can't confirm since I haven't seen it.

[–] IMDBRefugee1SD (139) 7 years ago

Haven't read the book, but it sounds like it's the same ending. But I interpreted it differently. I thought it was showing
the idealized result of true transparency. But human nature is such that true transparency is not possible.

[–] Tricklebrook (309) 7 years ago

It didn't end exactly the way the book did but I didn't feel like it was an upbeat ending at all. I was expecting the typical Hollywood "save the day" type finish but it wasn't that.

[–] keybored (2654) 7 years ago

How it ends in the film...

[spoiler]She enlists the help of the creator of some program (who has stayed hidden and elusive) to get access to the two main leaders of the circle's private, even more private and very private email accounts and announces on stage (via pushing it to everyone in the audiences' phones at the same time) that everyone can now access all their hidden info too, as it's all about transparency and all that, to which one of them says to the other that they are both fucked.[/spoiler]

[–] SySnootles (100) 7 years ago

It was very anti-climactic and I'm a bit confused. She outed them as hyprocrites when she herself was the one that pushed even deeper for transparency and connectivity. Even in the end this was the message she was still pushing, despite her active involvement in the death of her friend. Bailey and Stenton, obviously they are the corporate big bads no doubt appropriating everyone's data for nefarious and unknown deeds whilst at the same time fronting as smiling benevolent entrepreneurs on the cutting edge of technology and the future, but how is she any different from them? As a commentary on 'big brother', something that is more prevalent today than when Orwell wrote his book, there are strengths in this film and I didn't dislike, but her end game confused me. Perhaps it's just been a long week but if anyone wants to give me their 'paint by numbers' take from this please go ahead!

Some of the topics in this film are covered in a nifty documentary series called Dark Net which is worth checking out.

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

a bad ending

[–] Iconoclast321 (375) 7 years ago

The ending was awful. From an idealized Big Brother, to a vilified Big Brother, and back to an idealized Big Brother - this time with everybody on board, even the protagonist.

Yecchhh.