poetry can change you

Rating: 10/10 (19 September 2014)

I saw it only yesterday. Of course I had heard of it, I had been thinking of watching it one day. Well, this day was yesterday.
To be honest, I expected it to be something light and pretty positive, I couldn't foresee any drama coming, I could have but I didn't.
This school is a good example of our educational system, where we are taught to obey the rules, do what we are told to, be like robots. This movie was shot in 1989, but not that much has changed since then. Open the page, read what is written there, sit straight, listen to the teacher, no talking, no fun.
And then there's this new inspirational teacher Mr. John Keating who teaches his students to believe in themselves, to try new things, to love poetry. He is an amazing teacher, the one most students would want to have, but of course too great and a bit of an outsider in this boring and traditional school. He doesn't tell the students what to do, he doesn't give advice, he just helps them release their spirit of freedom, leave their comfort zone and try new things. And the students love him, look up to him, trust him.
And then in the end he is the one who gets punished. Not Neil's father who couldn't even be honest to himself and admit what he had done to his son. And the school didn't need the truth, neither did the other parents. They all seemed soulless and heartless.
I did love the last scene. It was honest and brave. And it showed that Mr. Keating had changed these boys, had made them stronger and better people.