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Dead Poets Society

Play trailer 2:35 Poster for Dead Poets Society PG 1989 2h 8m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 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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Dead Poets Society

Dead Poets Society

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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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Critics Reviews

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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. Go to Full Review
Gene Siskel Chicago Tribune 08/23/2017
3/4
A refreshing if obvious drama. Go to Full Review
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. Go to Full Review
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. Go to Full Review
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. Go to Full Review
Mike Massie Gone With The Twins 09/16/2024
8/10
Though it’s marginally overlong, the script is absorbing. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Joanne D 20h Most boring film ever 😴 See more Ash T Nov 26 I absolutely love this movie. It is one of the most heartfelt, genuine movies out there and I suppose it connects with its audience more because these are issues are things that people actually face on a daily basis. Couldn't have casted a better person to play Mr. Keating... Robin Williams stole the show. A lovely movie for literature lovers and those who are just trying pass a lazy afternoon. See more Purevbat M Nov 21 This movie is such a masterpiece. There are only two downsides and those are that i really feel like that the in the first half of the movie the pacing was too slow and they rushed the ending. And the other one is that if could've dived just a little into Mr.Keating's life and where he got that wisdom whilst graduating the same disciplined school as his pupils. Maybe they could've showed us more about Mr.Keating's life in the beginning where i mentioned the pacing was too slow so that the movie would be more balanced out. See more Brenden S. @BSchulz12 Nov 21 I would never say “no” to watching this film. Carpe Diem See more Orville M. @CoachOMills Nov 19 This may be one of my favorite films of all time. Between the cast itself and the overwhelming amount of inspiration it produces I can’t think of a better representation of what I wanted from my own teachers as a student. See more Nov 13 Only movie to make me burst into tears and shout at my tv. If you don’t get this movie no one will ever truly understand you. See more Read all reviews
Dead Poets Society

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Movie Info

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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