I first saw this 1989 classic as a teenager in the 90s and loved it. Actually, Dead Poets Society is one of those movies that I would say is more loved than hated, and for good reason too. It is a movie that has a ton of heart and some truly amazing performances from a very talented cast.
How to Download Dead Poets Society
Dead Poets Society was released on June 2, 1989. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you want to see more of Robin Williams’s performances, check him out in Good Morning, Vietnam, Mrs. Doubtfire, or Good Will Hunting.
The Movie Review
If you had asked me in the 90s or even the early 00s about my opinions on Dead Poets Society, I would undoubtedly say that I loved it. Robin Williams is the English teacher that I always wished that I had. Our core group of friends that make up the Dead Poets Society are the friends I would have loved to have had.
Setting the Stage: An All-Boys Boarding School
The story takes place at a stuffy all-boys boarding school. Robin Williams plays the role of a new English teacher at the school, Mr. Keating and he has some fun ways to inspire his students. He inspires them to do what they love to famously “carpe diem” seize the day, a phrase that I feel was made popular and mainstream by this movie.
The Core Group of Students
Our students comprise of Todd who has just joined the school at the start of the semester. Todd is paired with acclaimed student Neil and he becomes friends with Neil’s friends and they make for a great group of guys. Seeing them embrace the teachings of Mr. Keating and trying to take control of their lives is great.
A Coming of Age Story
We basically have a coming-of-age story here about these boys, growing to become men and trying to become the kind of person they want to be. They deal with pressure from their parents, their peers, and even the school headmaster. Seeing them embrace the world of poetry and become more unique and want to try and become who they want to be is good stuff and a great concept and idea for the movie to have.
However, Dead Poets Society the more I have watched it over the years does make me question things. Look, I love the way that Mr. Keating gets the kids excited to learn, but he is kind of just creating a bunch of mini versions of himself. To be fair, I could be looking way too deep into this. I mean at the end of the day, his message comes from a good place, but there are parts of his message that I do question.
A Thought-Provoking Tragic Event
I watched this again recently with my wife and she stands by this being a fantastic film. We actually had a pretty long discussion about whether Mr. Keating was in any way responsible for the major tragic event that happened in the movie. I have to be honest, I do kind of think that he is, or at the very least he should have realized that this kid was not in a good place and been more cautious with him.
Final Thoughts on Dead Poets Society
Look, Dead Poets Society is a good movie and if someone were to tell me it was their favorite, I would be cool with that. It is a movie where I can see all the good points, I really can. However, it does have some stuff that I do not like and if I am being brutally honest, it is a movie that I have liked a little bit less each time I have watched it. It captured my soul as a teenager, but as an adult, I do question many things that happen. Hey, that though could be the point of the movie, these kids still have their lives ahead of them whereas I am an old jaded with the world adult!
