"Carpe Diem, Seize The Day. Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May."

Rating: Null/10 (14 November 2017)

An inspiring, endearing & emotionally stimulating tale that's further strengthened by a surprisingly down-to-earth performance from Robin Williams, in addition to the spot-on chemistry between its young cast, Dead Poets Society is an affectionately crafted, skilfully directed & smartly scripted work that only asks its viewers to dream more urgently & live more fervently.
The story takes place in an all-male prep school during 1959 and follows a group of students who are encouraged to unleash their creative side by their new English teacher, a former alumni of the school. As he inspires them to look at poetry & life with a different perspective, his students restart the unsanctioned Dead Poets Society club and begin challenging the status quo.
Directed by Peter Weir, the film introduces all the relevant characters in the opening scene but it takes a while to get acquainted with most of them and separate one from another. However, once their English class begins, and their new teacher's unorthodox methods unlock their true potential, it turns into an enjoyable, entertaining & thoroughly nostalgic drama that's as heartwarming as it is amusing.
The atmosphere, for the most part, is infused with a positive, creative & optimistic vibe and all the moments featuring Robin Williams is a delight to watch. The fine dynamic between its young actors makes them convincing as a group, and their individual contribution is no slouch either. Camera is operated in a smooth, static fashion. Editing is controlled, unfolding the narrative at a steady pace, while its score adds flavours of its own into the final print.
Coming to the performances, Dead Poets Society features a wonderful cast in Robin Williams, Josh Charles, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, Norman Lloyd & others, with Williams impressing the most. It's a finely measured & highly grounded effort from Williams who as John Keating delivers a performance that arguably ranks as his best. And he is brilliantly supported by the rest of the cast who all play their part with flair, both individually and as a group.
On an overall scale, Dead Poets Society is a wonderfully evocative coming-of-age drama that tries to illustrate the importance of finding one's true passion in life and embracing it wholeheartedly. It packs plenty of laughs over the course of its runtime, and fine dose of tears as well but at its heart, Dead Poets Society is all about making your lives extraordinary. And the only way to do that is by following your heart, pursuing your dreams & continue seizing every day. Delightfully recommended.