Sappy but well acted  not my thing but I can see why some love it to death

Rating: Null/10 (11 July 2004)

In an exclusive prep school in the 1950's, the focus is on grades and learning as sons follow their fathers' footsteps into the family profession.
However, for a group of friends this changes when a new English teacher starts. As Mr Keating teaches them to express themselves and free their souls, the boys form a club for the reading of poetry and the discovery of beauty. However against an uptight background, tensions are formed and the boys learn more than they had expected.
With my mother wishing to watch this film, I decided to stick around and give it a try as well, even though I had seen it before when it had come out. True to my memory the film is a quite sentimental coming of age story that does pretty much what you expect but feels quite classy. The story isn't overly moving but some scenes pull on the heart, albeit in a rather cynical 'swelling music' way. However, it does work even if I don't think the Oscar praise was totally deserving  if pushed I would say it was one of the better 'coming of age' things I'd seen recently.
The cast are all pretty good and have mostly become more famous with time. Williams is his usual sappy self but tones it down a little here. Considering that his role is really just a supporting one, a catalyst for the boys' story, Williams manages to make a big impression with key scenes. I'm not a big fan of his but he gives a well-delivered performance here. Leonard and Hawke are both pretty strong even if it is hard to see them as young boys now  I can't help but see them as they are now. Support is good from Smith, Charles, Hansen etc but really the film belongs to Hawke and Leonard unless Williams is swinging in to steal his individual scenes from them.
Very much a mothers' film this one  if you like the weepy, sentimental genre then you should love this. To be honest it is not really my cup of tea but I did quite enjoy it and felt the writing was pretty good  just a shame that it is never more than a crying boy away from slipping into bonding and sentimentality. A little syrupy and will put off those who dislike such things but fans of the genre will love it and will leave it buoyed up by the message of 'carpe diem'.