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Critics Consensus: Affecting performances from the young cast and a genuinely inspirational turn from Robin Williams grant Peter Weir's prep school drama top honors.
Critic Consensus: Affecting performances from the young cast and a genuinely inspirational turn from Robin Williams grant Peter Weir's prep school drama top honors.
All Critics (57) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (48) | Rotten (9) | DVD (15)
A refreshing if obvious drama.
On the surface Robin Williams appears to be giving his standard performance as Prof. Keating - witty, sincere and lovable. But there's much more here.
Williams, who has comparatively little screen time, has come to act, not to cut comic riffs, and he does so with forceful, ultimately compelling, simplicity.
Story sings whenever Williams is onscreen. Screen belongs just as often to Leonard, who as Neil has a quality of darting confidence mixed with hesitancy. Hawke, as the painfully shy Todd, gives a haunting performance.
The moral divisions set up between characters are childishly overdrawn; and, worst of all, the behavior shown by the boys and adults frequently reeks of falsity and contrivance.
Weir infuses the film with his customary mysticism, but more importantly, draws sensitive performances from his largely inexperienced cast.
I can't help but melt underneath this movie: it chisels away the cynic and gets at the sap.
Dead Poets Society purports to be about the bravery of following one's own path. This is a bright, shining lie, one the film is ballsy enough to tell to your face.
It's not so easy to dismiss Dead Poets Society. For all its faults, it still has as much power as it ever did.
Williams keeps a stiff upper lip, showing a more sedate and sensitive side, and the Oscar-winning screenplay provides a strong backbone.
Falters when it goes for too much heart-tugging manipulation.
Inspiring, intense story of a teacher and his students.
A prime example of seeing a film at the right age and at the right time.
Super Reviewer
Set in a picturesque New England boys's prep school in the late 1950s, what we get here is an inspiring story of an unconventional young English teacher who aims to inspire his charges to challenge the confines of structure and seize the day, primarily through the lens of poetry. This was not the most original film at the time of its release, but if it's any consolation, many imitators followed in its wake. I think this is an inspiring and moving film.As the teacher, Robin Williams is restrained for almost all of it, but that's fine-it's one of his best performances. The other performances are also really good, particularly Robert Sean Leonard and Ethan Hawke. As this is a Peter Weir film, the cinematography and overall look of the film are just gorgeous. It is incredibly typical in terms of showcasing New England, but that doesn't really bother me. My only real gripes are how limited the poetry is (no mention of the Beats? in the late 50s? WHAT?) and how much of a downer this film is and becomes. Sometimes the music also seems a tad awkward, but it's mostly quite good. Overall, I do really like this. It's nothing new, but it's done well, has a nice message, and it does push for an appreciation of poetry, so that's cool too.
Robin Williams was predominantly known for his hilarity and exuberant sense of fun before he finally started to show that he had acting chops. In 1987, he received an Oscar nomination for "Good Morning Vietnam" and then, two years later, followed that up with another Best Actor nomination for "Dead Poets Society". To this day, this still stands as one of his most appealing characters and performances. Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) is sent to a school where his popular older brother was valedictorian. It's here that he meets room-mate, Neil (Robert Sean Leonard) and many other bright young men, who have lots of potential but lack any real direction. That is, until they meet their new English teacher Professor John Keating (Robin Williams). He's one of the few who sees the potential in them and encourages them to embrace life. "Carpe Diem. Seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary." These are the words that encapsulate this inspirational story about having a passion for and "sucking the marrow out of..." life. Professor Keating teaches in a very different and personal manner, quoting from such poets as Walt Whitman, Byron, Henry Thoreau and Robert Frost. He has a passion for what he teaches and shows a determination to instil that in his pupils. This passion also exudes onto the audience as we too, explore and enjoy the great writer's and poet's of our past and how rich and effective their words can be. Director Peter Weir draws on his own experiences of a boarding school education and Tom Schulman's script (partly based on his experiences at an all-boys preparatory school he attended and his professor there, Samuel F. Pickering Jr.) exposes the rigidity within the walls of such an environment. It's to their credit, though, that they manage to bring a sense of hope to education and the joy and expression that lies therein. Filled with many visual and verbal poetic moments, Weir's film is at times, both haunting and beautiful with gorgeous cinematography by John Seale and an effective music score by Maurice Jarre. There are also a whole host of very impressive performances from it's young cast - an excruciatingly shy Ethan Hawke, being a particular standout. However, it all rests on the shoulders of Williams; he's brilliant, with a very charismatic and heartfelt performance. He taps into his comic abilities, never over doing it and when he needs to deliver the dramatic weight, he does so with aplomb. You're able to warm to him and be completely swept up in his infectious enthusiasm, in turn, allowing you to fully identify with his impressionable students. At times the film can be emotionally manipulative and doesn't always work but, for the most part, it's very memorable and delivers one of the most uplifting movie endings I can remember. Never has a school desk been used so effectively. What more can you ask from a film that's able to instil thought, encourage an agreeing nod, raise a smile and even shed a tear? Weir, Williams and co. manage all of these things and for that reason, I give applause... "Oh Captain, my Captain". Mark Walker
Dead Poets Society is a well crafted drama with a great cast and a compelling story that is engaging from start to finish. The film boasts a powerful performance from Robin Williams, who was nominated for an Oscar. Dead Poets Society is one of those rare films that rely on a wonderful script to tell its story. This is the finest film from director Peter Weir, who uses simple elements to tell a memorable story. Weir's direction is incredible and he conveys something truly unique here. Weir directs a great cast here and the story is engaging and will surely appeal to genre fans. This film has a simple, yet effective plot, and it its films like this that remind you that the best films only rely on a well developed story to capture the interest of the viewer. This may not appeal to everyone, but for those looking for a film with a great cast and wonderful story, then this film is for you. Robin Williams really stands out here, and he elevates the material even further. The film is not perfect, but in terms of performances, and story, Peter Weir has crafted something truly special. I really enjoyed the film and it among the best drama films of the 1980's. My only real complaint would be that the ending was a bit too cheesy, but otherwise, the film was worth seeing. Dead Poets Society is a flawed film, but it is a well acted, directed picture that is highly engaging from start to finish. I think that the ending should have been reworked slightly, other than that, this was a must see picture and a terrific drama that is worth checking out.
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