Dead Poets Society

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2:35

Dead Poets Society

PG

1989

2h 8m

Drama

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

85%

Tomatometer

66 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

A new English teacher, John Keating (Robin Williams), is introduced to an all-boys preparatory school that is known for its ancient traditions and high standards. He uses unorthodox methods to reach out to his students, who face enormous pressures from their parents and the school. With Keating's help, students Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard), Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) and others learn to break out of their shells, pursue their dreams and seize the day.

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Critics Consensus

Affecting performances from the young cast and a genuinely inspirational turn from Robin Williams grant Peter Weir's prep school drama top honors.

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Kurt Jacobsen

Chicago Reader

05/11/2022

1/4

We never are privy to Keatings’s personal life, nor do we quite grasp why such a talented individual is devoted to pedagogy.

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

08/23/2017

3/4

A refreshing if obvious drama.

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Hank Gallo

New York Daily News

06/01/2016

3.5/4

On the surface Robin Williams appears to be giving his standard performance as Prof. Keating - witty, sincere and lovable. But there's much more here.

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

Oct 28

9/10

One of Weir’s great gifts as a filmmaker is how he draws performances out of actors.

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Rudrangsh Gupta

The Hindu

Sep 8

By the end, the film not only makes you cherish friendships, but allows you to realise a deep gratitude for teachers, who in spite of all of their strictness, have the highest hopes for every single student who may cross their path.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

09/16/2024

8/10

Though it’s marginally overlong, the script is absorbing.

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Vixo S

@vixo_six 1d

Dead Poets Society remains powerful because it is not only an inspiring story about poetry, but a quiet critique of conformity. Welton Academy represents a system that values discipline, tradition and success while leaving little room for young people to discover who they are. Robin Williams gives John Keating warmth and urgency, turning literature into a way of seeing life with more honesty. His teaching is not about simple rebellion, but about recognizing that beauty, emotion and self expression are essential parts of being human. The film's emotional strength comes from the students, whose desires and fears reveal the cost of living under expectation. Robert Sean Leonard and Ethan Hawke give especially delicate performances, showing different forms of vulnerability. Years later, the film endures because it understands that education does not only shape careers. It shapes identity, courage and the possibility of finding one's own voice.

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David M.

@Dmesuda May 30

Such an important film, from launching careers, to solidifying others as acting legends.

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Hana L

@Hanicka May 29

The best film i have ever watched it finished me but it was worth it

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R T

@Pinagong777 May 28

i see myself in neil. i wanted to try theater but i chose to listen

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Janav S

@TheCoolJ92781 May 25

The book is way better, but the acting was stellar.

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ryan J

@ryanjazz May 8

greates movie evea. watch nouw.

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Peter Weir

Director

Robin Williams

John Keating

Robert Sean Leonard

Neil Perry

Ethan Hawke

Todd Anderson

Josh Charles

Knox Overstreet

Gale Hansen

Charlie Dalton

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Dead Poets Society: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

A new English teacher, John Keating (Robin Williams), is introduced to an all-boys preparatory school that is known for its ancient traditions and high standards. He uses unorthodox methods to reach out to his students, who face enormous pressures from their parents and the school. With Keating's help, students Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard), Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) and others learn to break out of their shells, pursue their dreams and seize the day.

Director: Peter Weir
Producer: Steven Haft, Paul Junger Witt, Tony Thomas
Screenwriter: Tom Schulman
Distributor: Touchstone Pictures, Buena Vista Pictures, Touchstone Home Video
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 2, 1989, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 9, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $94.5M
Runtime: 2h 8m
Sound Mix: Surround, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Dolby
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)