Movie Review: Dead Poets Society

Movie Review: Dead Poets Society

Any movie title with the words, 'Dead' and 'Poet,' might strike someone as being a little strange or even a little boring. However, do not judge a book by its cover with this mind busting, deep thinker of a drama. This film, directed by Peter Weir adds a little poetry to this truly inspirational, heart-felt movie that makes anyone who has ever known what it feels like to want to rebel in a nonconformist culture. This solid, smart entertainment breaks out of the social norms and teaches free thinking and a strong moral value to anyone who watches it.

Academy Award Winner, Robin Williams, stars as John Keating, an unorthodox and charismatic English teacher at the exclusive all boys Welton Academy in the beautiful and vast forests of Vermont in 1959. At this very posh, expensive school of conformity and dress code, Keating urges the boys of Welton, or "Hellton" as the students call it, to live life to the fullest and as he says to them, "Carpe Diem! Seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary!" Keating not only bends the mold of academic discipline of Welton, he reinvents it. Such a teaching method was unheard of in this school's agenda; it is nothing but traditional and conventional. Keating teaches the boys how to feel the real emotions of what they read and how to lead their lives according to how those emotions affect them.

A specific group of adventurous, adolescent boys end up pulling together a "Dead Poets Society" in honor of Mr. Keating, who founded the group when he was an undergraduate at Welton. It consisted of the group of boys sneaking out after curfew to read poetry from famous poets in a cave just off campus. The Dead Poets Society is reincarnated with these young boys as they try to woo girls and try new things out of their comfort zone. Any student would get a laugh and enjoy any form of unorthodox teaching because it goes against the status quo, and that is why this movie reaches out to every young heart who has wanted to be able to learn by a completely new manner of teaching.

As much as this movie is worth seeing for Williams' talented acting, the co-stars of the film also derive stunning and deep performances.