Dead Poets Society

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2:35

Dead Poets Society

PG

1989

2h 8m

Drama

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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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Glory K

@Ms.Glory 4d

Life changing must-see. Perhaps my all time favorite....

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Marco L

@decatur555 6d

Dead Poets Society grows more poignant with time. What once felt like an inspiring teacher story now carries a deeper sense of fragility and loss. Peter Weir embraces melodrama rather than hiding it, crafting a film about freedom and the fear of claiming it. Robin Williams delivers a restrained, human performance that avoids caricature, while the young cast brings sincerity and emotional weight. The script can be predictable and direct in its sentiment, yet key moments still resonate powerfully. Not flawless, but enduring — and perhaps even more affecting on a second viewing.

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thiago s

@Thiagostone Feb 17

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

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Zane T

@ZaneThind Feb 4

A great movie about finding your true calling. A passionate tale of how someone finds their identity and a poet's love letter. An person in school could relate to this even people later in life could relate to this as well.

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Frankenweenie C

Feb 3

top 10 movies of all time

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Erik M.

@suburban_critic Feb 1

Amazing performance by Robin Williams. This movie is an all time favorite and a must-see.

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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
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)

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