You need to watch this movie at least once in your lifetime.

Rating: 9/10 (17 October 2017)

Dead Poet's Society, directed by Peter Weir, investigates the lives of a group of male students who attend Welton Academy, a highly conservative, rigorous boarding school in Vermont. Their English poetry teacher, Mr. Keating, inspires them through his unconventional methods of teaching to reestablish a "Dead Poet's Society" at their school, in which they gather to recite poetry and "suck the marrow out of life". Some may argue that Dead Poet's Society's themes of depression and suicide make the movie too morbid for young viewers. Others, including notorious movie critic Roger Ebert, may insist that the overrated movie has a tired and predictable plot; of course the innovative, non-comforting teacher will change the lives of his students and be fired by the traditional, ancient headmaster. However, I insist that this movie's heartfelt message, exploration of common teenage experiences, and inspirationally crafted characters make this film one of my favorites. Moreover, the film's actors and relatability makes Dead Poet's Society one of the greatest coming of age movies ever made.
The actors in Dead Poet's Society make this film exceptional. The perfectly cast Robin Williams, who takes the role of Mr. Keating, blends humor, inspiration and sentiment to gorgeously execute his character. When Mr. Keating brings up lines from Shakespeare, he quirkily performs impressions of other famous actors spouting lines, incorporating the lovable nature of Robin Williams into the character. However, in an instant, Williams can just as easily spout words full of hope and inspiration that bring tears to my eyes. His ability to evoke such a multitude of emotions in viewers makes the film incredible to watch. Robert Sean Leonard, who plays Neil Perry, one of the boys who yearns to pursue an acting career despite his father's plans for him to become a doctor, has an amazing performance in this film. His versatile acting, which includes portraying Puck from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" within the movie and exploring the darkness of depression and failure, suck the audience into the plot and his character's journey. These actors create an attachment from the audience, which in part makes the film successful.
The relatable scenarios in Dead Poet's Society appeals to the viewers' sense of sentiment. Robin William's character, Mr. Keating, encourages his English students to savor every moment in life and put themselves in uncomfortable situations to help them discover their inner passions. He often asks his students to stand on desks to prove everything can be perceived from a different perspective and walk around while a beat plays to show how easily they tend to walk with the beat and, therefore, lay victim to conformity. As an audience member, I, along with many others, can relate to having an awe-inspiring teacher that taught beyond the classroom. Mr. Briguglio, my tenth grade English teacher, often recited Mr. Keating's favorite phrase, "Carpe Diem," or seize the day, when encouraging us to go out into the world and live with vitality and drive. While we explored literature, not only did we discuss the books' themes and characters, but we also asked ourselves philosophical questions and often went off on tangents exploring human tendencies and personal experiences. Mr. Briguglio created a safe classroom environment, similar to Mr. Keating's, where students could fearlessly open up about their passions or worries. My experiences allowed the messages in Dead Poet's Society to deeply resonate with me because I could relate to these boys as their teachers completely changed their interpretation of learning and outlook on the future. This made this film extremely enjoyable for me to watch.
This movie is one of the best coming of age movies because its inspirational messages evokes hope and curiosity in its audience. Mr. Keating's frequent invigorating spiels that encourage us to chase our dreams serve as a beacon of hope and optimism for his audience members. I was personally left with chills, feeling invincible and and as if I had somehow joined the Dead Poet's Society myself, unlocking new ways of perceiving the world and encountering life. The blend of tragedy, struggle, humor, warmth, love, and invaluable wisdom that this film harbors truly makes it a movie worth your time.