Sucking the marrow out of life

Rating: 9/10 (5 January 2007)

Every once in a while, a film comes along which stands the test of time. A film which, ten years later or more can still hold the same emotional resonance and merit as it did when it was first released, and still be renowned as a genuinely quality piece. Dead Poets Society is one of those films which has withstood the ages, becoming somewhat iconic as a charming, but never cheesy sentimental tearjerker and uplifting tale of passion and hope all the same. When one watches it, it's really no wonder why the movie has lasted - there is simply so much to appreciate here, and never once does the film seem fake, as if the ideals are being beaten over our heads - they are simply presented in an optimistic light, attempting to sweep us up in their sense of enthusiasm and passion as well.
It's movies like this which really bring the education system to light, and make us wonder if perhaps inspirationally different teachers such as the simply wonderful Robin Williams' John Keating were more commonplace, inspiring their students with a sheer passion for language and verse. Teachers who rather than beating the students down by throwing meaningless figures and statistics in their faces, actually encouraged their students to think for themselves, draw their own conclusions, and actually striving to "seize the day" and get all that they can out of life, instead of coasting aimlessly through it. It's in this aspect than any viewer with a soft spot for English literature and poetry especially is sure to melt shamelessly towards the sheer passion and emotion associated with them. Rather than poems being sappy and tedious, Keating brings the idea to life with fiery enthusiasm, making the author's sentiments leap off the page and into the heart.
What raises Dead Poets Society from the ranks of other wannabes in its genre of "education can be good" films is how genuine and real it all seems, which makes the uplifting message seem all the more affecting, as it never seems contrived or sappy. The characters never once seem contrived, though they may be archetypes, these are real, breathing human beings we are watching, and we connect with them and care for them at a level which is almost unseen in modern movies. It's a genuinely heartwarming and affecting story, sold excellently by screenwriter Tom Schulman and driven home by the superb cast and seamless direction by the wonderful Peter Weir. Weir has a knack for filling his films with single unforgettable images, and Dead Poets Society is perhaps the most potent in this aspect - there are too many unforgettable scenes and shots to be counted, from Knox Overstreet riding his bike down the hill, scattering a flock of geese which fly up into the amber sunset, the soccer game where the students carry Mr. Keating on their shoulders, and of course the classic standing on desks scene. Without giving away the film's plot, safe to say this is a movie which sticks in your head for weeks to come. The film does on occasion show the slightest stumble in terms of plot or pacing, and not all audiences may buy into the sentimentality of the plot, but these are pittances for a film as genuine, affecting and simply spectacular as this.
The simply wonderful cast, full mostly of previously unknown actors is what really brings the film to life, presenting us with a wide variety of realistic, relatable and for the most part, infectiously likable characters. Standouts include a pre-stardom Ethan Hawke as the shy and withdrawn Todd, TV actor Robert Sean Leonard as aspiring actor Neil, Gale Hansen, arguably stealing the show from all but Robin Williams as the wonderfully rebellious Charlie "Nuwanda" Dalton, and Josh Charles as the bashfully confident Knox Overstreet. "That 70s show" actor Kurtwood Smith proves that no one is better at playing the disproving old fashioned father than he is and Norman Lloyd makes a fiendishly evil villain as the repressive school headmaster. Still, there is no argument that the film without exception belongs to Robin Williams as perhaps the most wonderful teacher figure ever essayed on film. Williams sparks the film ablaze with his fiery passion and enthusiasm, never once going over the top but instead biting back his trademark energy to turn out a serious, superbly fine tuned and tremendously affecting performance, arguably still the best his career has shown.
All in all, Dead Poets Society is one of those movies which actually fit the far too often used category of "must see". For all struggling through months and years of tedious, repressive schooling, this movie should prove the perfect antidote, re-affirming the sense of enthusiasm and passion which would make the education system so much easier to bear, and actually inspire students to succeed in life, rather than coasting through with no enjoyment or enthusiasm. Robin Williams gives a superb performance, and director Peter Weir has accomplished a wonderful film which is sweet but not syrupy, passion and sentimentality devoid of sap. For a heartwarming, inspiring and moving movie experience, one need look no further than here.
-9/10