In the opening moments of Iain Cash's 12-minute short film The Circle, you'll likely find yourself cringing. Jay (Martin Green) is more than a wee bit of a jerk, faux compassion stifled by an almost comical lack of self-awareness as he leads what we quickly learn is a therapeutic support group of those experiencing addiction. 

It's the lack of therapeutic insight that's cringe-worthy, though one must hang on for the entirety of the 12-minute film to truly experience the real story unfolding. 

The Circle is a dimly shot film, intentionally so, with Adrian O'Toole's lensing capturing the shadowy type setting where this story unfolds. Tis' the people who are even bathed in their darkness or eventually moving toward light, subtly so, in a film that changes tone and message effectively. 

While I'd imagine most will be drawn toward Green's Jay, smarm galore and so much denial one might assume the film takes place in Egypt, I found myself far more drawn to Victoria Latham-Kelly's pointed and precise turn as Helen. Nathan Wedge also shines, especially toward film's end, and Valerie Bundy nicely rounds out an effective ensemble. 

I must confess, however, that throughout much of the 12-minute running time of The Circle I found myself struggling with its tonal shifts. While there's room for a thread of dark humor in a tale such as this one, there's also such power in the film's examination of power shifts and how we deal with our own addictions. I couldn't help but want the film's tone to lean into the drama, especially because this cast just seemed so capable of powerfully driving this home. 

I didn't dislike the film, not at all. In fact, the longer it went the more I wanted it to go. A 15-20 minute film might've given these characters a little more room to breathe and really tell their stories. Still, there's much to appreciate here with a gifted ensemble, a vital message, and Cash's impactful direction. While The Circle isn't quite the film I'd hoped it would be, it's still an effective, meaningful short worth catching as it makes its way through the indie fest circuit. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic