Dead Poets Society

One of the best dramas of all time. Robin Williams gives maybe the best performance of his career. Launched the career of Ethan Hawke and Robert Sean Leonard gives an oscar worthy performance as well. Kurtwood Smith (Red on That 70's show) makes for one evil father.

Won't stand the test of time, or at least didn't make the fifteen-year cut

Dead Poets, absolutely. Dead notions, absolutely not! Dead Poets Society addresses critical issues for students, teachers and most importantly, for parents. I was barely out of high school when the film was originally released. My experience as a student was fresh enough to recall the pressure to academically succeed, for myself, my siblings and my peers. Like anyone else I have witnessed the strain scholastic pressure can put on a family. Throughout the film students experience trouble and triumph with family, authority, love, and anxiety. Their stories are classic and tragic all at once. Robin Williams superbly acts the part of John Keating, an English teacher who inspires his charges at Welton Academy to think independently and to "seize the day." Following in his footsteps a group from his poetry class resurrects the Dead Poets Society, a group that Keating initiated as a student at Welton. Via their newly organized secret society the students discover the wonder of poet... Read more

I had recently watched The Dead Poets Society in my Powerful Vocabulary class, and had many emotions toward this astounding movie. My class also enjoyed this movie and my teacher, Mr. Flanagan, brought up an important debate over the plot of it. Here are my thoughts: Was it Keating's lesson plan or Mr. Perry's overbearing pressure that caused Neil Perry's death? That's one topic that will always be debated in this movie. To most, it's clear that Mr. Perry's dictatorial rules pushed Neil over the edge. However, without Keating's romanticized lessons, Neil would have never strayed out from his organized life. Any one person can equally debate thus. What cannot be doubted is the quality and provocative plot behind this movie. It was great way to reveal the truth behind boarding's schools and reveal the actual pressure from parents. I bet for every couple of schools there's one Mr. Nolan, one Mr. Keating, and only one Nwanada (Charlie Dalton). There needs to be more Mr. Keating out t... Read more

These simple words are the catalyst in Dead Poets Society that changes the lives of a group of boys forever. This movie takes place in 1959 at an all boys private school that teaches its students in a traditional manner. It is seeped with long standing traditions and therefore isn't perceptive to change. Consequentially when a new contemporary person, Mr. Keating, replaces an English teacher who retired, things are bound to get interesting. John Keating is an English teacher who has no regard for restrictions against expression and so called "mathematical equations" that define a poem's greatness. He throws this all away in favor of independent thought and nonconformist ways. Mr. Keating has a passion for life that he tries to pass on to his students using radical teaching methods to teach important life lessons such as carpe diem. Carpe diem, or seize the day, is a major theme in Dead Poets Society, and some may call it the cause of most of the conflicts that arise. It encou... Read more

This movie was very scrupulous in showing that non conformity was the way to go. I thought that Mr. Keening was correct in teaching the students to seize the day (Carpe Diem) and also he didn't want them to live terrible lives so he taught that you should follow your dreams. To be unfettered or free from restrictions in reaching their goals. Neil, one of the students in Keenings class wanted to act very badly, but his father was choleric or easily angered at the idea and always shut Neil down. Finally Neil couldn't take it anymore and he off'ed himself which was very macabre and tragic. I believe that these students became better because Keening was their teacher, they were supernumerary meaning that these kids were more than expected from them, they didn't just do what they were told just because other people thought it was the right thing, but they used their minds and there own opinions to decide there fait. ... Read more

Robin Williams made it worth watching, but I thought it was kind of boring. It was rather overrated. It was overrated enough that for some reason we got to watch it in Lit class in high school.

I didn't especially like this movie initially. Over time I have come to love the performances of Robin Williams and his crew of YAWPERS!! I show it occasionally to my students and we all go outside and YAWP!! The lesson is straightforward, the teen-age angst is well done, and the tragedy is devastating. An excellent film.

Over-rated, simple, simplistic and predictable. Profoundly moving, if you get moved by Hallmark greeting cards.

Robin Williams turns in one of his best performances as a Professor who actually gets his students EXCITED about literature.

I know its pathetic of me...but it made me feel smart. I liked it.

A movie that can mix the comedic and dramatic elements of storytelling as effectively is not dumb at all. This one is a feather in Robin William's cap. I enjoyed this film every time I've had chance to watch. Laugh about life and all its seriousness in one place, and then remember what matters most in the next. Simply brilliant.

How this maudlin tripe could get so far up the list is a wonder. This was a misfire from start to finish.

Good if somewhat overrated. . .the Top Gun for literature nerds.

I fell asleep!

Robin Williams has put in some great turns but he should stay away from over-sentimental dreck like this, a sort of modern update on 'Goodbye Mr Chips'. At my school there were teachers who tried to ingratiate themselves with certain pupils, but were generally laughing stocks and not heroic figures. The plot doesn't ring true for me.

This is an idioc, boring movie about going against conformity through the use of poetry! Not even Robin Williams could save this one.

It was ok. But I have seen better

I really liked this movie. How many of us have been taught by wonderful mentors using unorthodox teaching methods and showed us not just to appreciate ourselves, but life and the people around us? "Seize the Moment". The messges in this movie are clear: individualism, appreciation and most of all finding our passion. Standing for what we truly believe in and holding these principals with us for the rest of our lives stemmed from somewhere and any teacher that can teach that is more than a mentor, but a true gift.

Great. Robin Williams was great as always

Normally a fan of action movies, I was skeptical about watching Dead Poets Society. After I did, however, I found it to be an amazing movie with a great plot and many lessons to be learned. It hits close to home with alot of people on points of opression, peer pressure, and just plain being yourself. Robin Williams did a stellar job of portraying the very enthusiastic and very individual Mr. Keating, who's teachings lead a group of restless and discontented teens to reinstate the "Dead Poets Society," where they read literature from the past few centuries. The lessons taught in this film are based upon the Transcendentalist views of famous writers such as Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. It urges viewers to be free from the constraints of society and from the opression of worrying what others think. This movie is perhaps the best-written and acted movie I have ever seen. If you have not yet seen this movie, I strongly urge you to do so.

It was good. I stayed awake. It can't be great though, because once it was over, it was over.

really really really good

The Dead Poets Society, in my opinion, is one of the best movies ever made and slightly underrated. Beneath the pure entertainment value of its interesting story and incredibly brilliant performance by Robin Williams, this film tells much about the soul's desire in choice of vocation versus just trying to do what's expected of us by authority figures such as parents and heads of prestigious schools. On another level I think it encourages the passion of books, poetry and reading. Besides Williams, all the other roles in the film were also well acted, and the students all seemed very real.

One of my favorite movies of all times. I can still remember that almost dizzy/stunned (in a positive way) feeling I felt after going out of the movie theater the first time I saw it. Robin Williams' best role so far and a performance he will hardly ever surpass. Let's not forget that Peter Weir (director) is THE MAN behind this masterpiece. Many young actors went on to become well-known names after this movie. +The ending, which, as someone else has also written, is one of the best in film history (the only one that perhaps surpasses it is in "Citizen Kane").

Classic coming of age movie. Robin Williams is great as the inspirational and unconventional teacher. Beautiful scenery of the East Coast. Good acting. A moving film.

My favorite. Excellent message. Teaches about the power of knowledge and individualism.

I like the whole plot of this movie. Besides, it has all the current stars in maybe one of their first movies.

This movie makes me wonder if rich kids are lucky at all. They have very good young actors and Robin Williams' character was fantastic. Although it seemed the plot was very common (ie movies involving poor rich kids), it was touching.

I have recently see "Dead Poets Society" and I believe it was a very meaningful movie. It has all the qualities for a acadamy award or something.

The life of a seer. That is my life. Through poetry Will shall find meaning. Let us sit in caves and lick the past. Want of tradition? No longer. Let us create and not be created! We are poets! We are not slaves! We live our own lives! Open mindness is the key to life.

Awesome movie cast. Good editing and cinematography. Very realistic.

I don't usually like Robin Williams, but this was an amazingly powerful film. Very well written and acted!

Another great Robin Williams flick. I love this movie because Poetry to me is the best stuff on earth. The combination of the great actors and story made me fall in love with the movie.

My favorite movie of all time!

Seize the Day

Robin Williams, as always, leads the way.

Terribly over-rated and convaluted. It strikes me as one of those manipulative movies that makes obvious points while painting everyone else in the movie outside the main characters as mean-spirited. Or maybe it was just that I don't like Robin Williams.

They should have let the boy be a sissy stage actor. But seriously, a good but not great movie about the drama involved in being a teenager. Seize the day, go after that girl you like, pursue your unorthodox career goals, live your life - and god forbid if your parents are not supportive. It is also the story of what can happen to the adult who fights the power and sides with the kids versus the adults. Definitely worth seeing, but definitely not one of the all-time classics.

An inspiring movie that makes you think about taking advantage of every moment of life.

If it's got Robin Williams in it especially when it's dramatic it must be great, obviously I'm a Robin Williams fan.

One of the best movies of all time

Robin Williams was great in this, but I think it is generall overrated.

I enjoyed this movie when I first saw it, but now it kind of makes me queasy. Not because of the movie itself, but because of the people who think that if they talk in a hushed voice about what a powerful movie this is, it somehow makes them 'deep.' You know what? You're not deep - you're an idiot, and appreciating a movie's message doesn't change anything.

One of my all-time favorites. Superb

This is a great movie with one of the most powerful final scenes ever in a movie. This movie really defined Robin Williams as a dramatic actor. Captain, My Captain.

Dead Poets Society is a great movie with a great cast.