Dead Poets Society

Dead Poets Society is a movie that I didn’t expect to enjoy so much. I had been told to see it by numerous amounts of people; however I delayed the actual watching of it until I figured I had nothing else left to watch in my movie collection. So I sat down with a collection of snacks to entrain me just incase the movie failed to, but as it turned out, the movie was FANTASTIC! Written by Tom Schulman and directed by Peter Weir in (1989), it demonstrates the pressures, angst’s and determination of a group of teenage boys studying at a privileged boarding school. It shows the strict structure in which their lives are directed by parents and teachers to make it through to a successful career post graduation, however when John Keating (Robin Williams), the new English teacher with controversial teaching methods starts at the school, the students begin to search for further meanings of life. I loved the flamboyancy of Robin Williams’ character; it was fun to watch him getting the students excited about learning poetry and looking at the world in a different light. It almost felt like you were there, and you could feel the relief as the boys slowly became less tense and more comfortable around the classroom, and even the school. Robert Sean Leonard (some may know him as Wilson in the TV Series ‘House’ only several years younger) played Neil Perry, a boy from a less fortunate family then many of the others, with a father would gave him no other option then to study to become a doctor, but had a secret desire to become an actor. I think I empathized with his character the most, as he wanted to pursue a certain career path, however felt obligated to follow another.

I think Robert S. Leonard played this character with such conviction, that you felt angry at his father (played by Kurtwood Smith – That 70’s Show) for being forceful and ignorant, which in turn reflects on the performance from Kurtwood Smith as the father, as he too played an impressively expressive and dominant role.

The cast of this film was full of younger stars that we now know today in a ranger of different roles. However I think this movie is the most effective career wise. The film is unpredictably sad, with a good flow of high points and low points, and you are left feeling almost loyal to the characters with an understanding of good faith and pride.

All in all I rate it about 8.5 out of 10. Definitely a movie I recommend seeing!