Dead Poet Society Review
Only Robin Williams could manage to sneak a quick Marlon Brando impersonation into a tragic movie about boys becoming freethinking, independent men...and make it work. Williams' distinctive humour is just one element of many that makes Peter Weir's latest creation, Dead Poets Society, a uniquely fresh film. It is a blend of wit, sentiment, pathos, and a feeling of nobility that separates Society from its peer 'coming-of-age' flicks. The boys of the film, around the ripe age where blossoming normally occurs, are repressed by both their parents and their preppy boarding school. Enter John Keating (Williams) a mysterious character that appears to teach the boys English. Instead of grammar and composition writing, Mr. Keating's lessons deal with such topics as seizing life, the beauty of poetry, and individuality. The kids, presu
Williams apparently improvised many of the funny moments of his character's script which gave Mr. It is somewhat curious why Weir would do something with a film about seizing life and 'sucking the marrow out of' it. Keating implores his students to make the best of their years, or that in which a normally introverted Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) composes an emotionally-baring poem in front of his peers, carry the film from beginning to end. Giving the film more soul is the acting, especially that provided by Robin Williams. Overall, Dead Poet Society is an excellent film with some very powerful scenes that emphasis to the audience the importance of making the best of life. These instances of odd wit took the character in a totally different direction that couldn't have been achieved by anyone else, but was wholly appropriate considering Keating's purpose. Weir seems to consistently keep a sombre, reserved feel, breaking that only when needing to show contrast, such as when Knox visits a public school during a football game. mably aching for a long time to break free, begin to rebel against their old lifestyles of tradition and discipline and expressing their rebellion by forming an underground society to share beautiful poetry and art. Without him, the boy's English teacher might have been just as 'passionate' as, oh say, their Latin teacher. What ensues is a struggle between the boys and all the authority figures, which eventually reaches awful proportions. Weir did a fine job balancing various elements to make for a compelling and entertaining movie. Director Peter Weir has a thing for giving comic actors a chance at serious roles, such as Jim Carrey's brilliant performance in The Truman Show.
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