Review: Dead Poets Society (1989)

★★★★★

Director: Peter Weir

Starring: Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, Josh Charles

❝ THIS IS A BATTLE, A WAR, AND THE CASUALTIES COULD BE YOUR HEARTS AND SOULS. ❞

Synopsis: John Keating (Robin Williams) is made the new English teacher at the Welton Academy for Boys. His unorthodox teaching methods and inspires and changes the lives of several of his students.

Wonderfully poignant and deeply moving, Dead Poets Society is one of those films that stays with you and has you questioning how you are living your life. Regardless of these boys ages (which is so often pointed out by the shrewd headmaster, Gale Nolan (Norman Lloyd)), they learn to embrace life and rather than live under the rules of their parents, choose to pave their own road. However, this doesn't come without it's struggles. Welton Academy is a comically proud school, which takes pride in it's reputation as being one of the finest preparatory schools in the country - so when a group of boys are trying to express themselves in a more casual and honest manner, and enjoy themselves whilst they're young, it's frowned upon by the administration and even punishable. Freethinkers aren't allowed, so John Keating's presence shakes up the foundation of the boy's beliefs. Keating is only ever intellectually challenged by another teacher, who whilst holds a degree of respect for Keating and is very similar in his way of thinking, is not as radical with his methods of teaching. This suggests that without a certain level of surpression, there is no way to continue with a career at Welton and thus no way to help these sheltered boys learn as much about themselves as they possibly can. There was no way to fault the performances in this either. Every single actor put their heart and soul into this and delivered. This film is without a doubt, a timeless cinematic classic.