Critical Review Of "The Dead Poets Society"

1159 Words5 Pages
The film, Dead Poets Society, written by Tom Schulman and directed by Peter Weir (Gallipoli) is one about the power of individuality and the importance of living life to the fullest. This is a 1989 American drama film set at the aristocratic Welton Academy in Vermont in 1959. It tells the story of John Keating (Robin Williams) an English teacher who inspires his students through his teachings of poetry. Neil Perry ( Robert Sean Leonard), one of the several fascinating main characters within this film, decides to pursue his dream of being an actor even though his parents expect him to become a doctor. Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) begins his first year at the academy with doubts about his own self-worth. Knox Overstreet (Josh Charles) fights an uphill battle to win the girl of his dreams. Charlie Dalton (Gale Hansen) is the leader of this band of friends and is the risk-taker. Richard Cameron (Dylan Kussman), Steven Meeks (Allelon Duggiero), and Gerald Pitts (James Waterson) appear less within the main plot, but their actions make the film even more enjoyable. Each one of these eight characters contributed to the plot of this exciting story, and effected the reactions of the audience. The film soon begins within the halls of the academy at the beginning of the new school year with students and parents running around trying to prepare for the first classes of the year. Mr. Keating has recently begun teaching English and starts the year by taking the students outside the classroom and stating that they are "powerful individuals" which no other teacher would do. The next day Keating instructs Neil to read the introduction to their poetry textbook, which Keating finds ridiculous and tells them to tear the pages out and that "This is a battle, a war. You will have to learn to think for yourselves." Neil then finds an old yearbook ,which contains a picture of Mr. Keating

More about Critical Review Of "The Dead Poets Society"

Open Document