Sandy Kenyon reviews 'The Circle'

A somewhat cautionary tale hits theaters this weekend, with Tom Hanks is stepping into the world of big business and internet privacy.

Actress Emma Watson stars opposite him in the new movie "The Circle," which preaches about the dangers of social media with a vivid reminder that with all the advances technology brings, there is a price to be paid in terms of how much privacy is lost.

Hanks makes brilliant use of his friendly persona to play a guy who seems like a hero but is really a villain, and there is no better choice to play the entrepreneur who appears so warm and friendly yet is actually truly scary.

The Circle is kind of like Facebook on steroids, an all-consuming company that requires total devotion from its employees. And that includes new hire Mae Holland, played by Watson.

Her dad is played by the late Bill Paxton, who died in February, and the movie is dedicated to his memory.

Mae has agreed to go "full transparent," which puts almost every moment of her life online, and viewers get to read some of their comments as the drama continues. It adds to the experience of watching it all go horribly wrong.

John Boyega, from "Stars Wars: The Force Awakens," plays one of the founders of The Circle, now thoroughly disillusioned.

The film is written as satire, but it seems all too chillingly possible. The issues raised will resonate for a lifetime, and the absorbing film is a great way to provoke a discussion about a world where social media has become so important.