Family FavoritePG

Dead Poets Society

He was their inspiration. He made their lives extraordinary.

1989 • 129 min • Drama

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Synopsis

At an elite, old-fashioned boarding school in New England, a passionate English teacher inspires his students to rebel against convention and seize the potential of every day, courting the disdain of the stern headmaster.

Our family guide

Best from age 13

Movie Knight Score

12791 reviews

80 Reviewers · 5 · 65%
83 Audience · 12786 · 35%

At a conservative boarding school, a passionate English teacher inspires his students to embrace poetry and independent thought, challenging the school's rigid traditions. His unconventional methods encourage them to "seize the day" and find their own voices, leading to both triumph and tragedy.

Violence & peril: 3/10
Language: 2/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 3/10
Romance & sensuality: 1/10
Scary moments: 4/10

Heads up

A character tragically takes his own life due to parental pressure.
Some instances of mild teen rebellion, including sneaking out.
References to smoking and underage drinking at parties.

What it models well

Embracing individuality
The power of poetry
Finding your voice
Mentorship and inspiration

Talk about it after

The importance of following your own path versus societal expectations.
How to cope with disappointment and pressure from others.
The lasting impact of a great teacher.
The difference between inspiring change and outright rebellion.

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Dead Poets Society. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Peter Weir • Crew: Tom Schulman

Trailers & clips

Dead Poets Society (1989) Trailer Full HD

Dead Poets Society ≣ 1989 ≣ Trailer

Dead Poets Behind The Scenes

What will your verse be?

Dead Poets Society (Laserdisc Deleted Scenes)

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
"Dead Poets Society" never endeavours to sweeten the bitter pill of disappointment or tragedy by playing to whatever cliched expectations you might have. Neil's father Mr. Perry isn't going to suddenly relent and admit what a stupid and selfish fool he has been and then decide to change his uncompromising viewpoint in relation to his son's disputed future. He actually becomes even more entrenched in his stubborn d...
kevin2019, TMDB Community

Not recommended
The (very absurd) point of view of the rich people about freedom. The Movie is so pathetically formulaic that it makes you want to throw tomatoes at the screen. The Horatian ideal, of Stoic-Epicurean origin, of a life enjoyed in the good it gives us, even if it is little, is here often repeated, inaccurately, as an invitation to live joyfully. And it makes us laugh and reflect even more that it is observe...
crazyrobinhood, TMDB Community

Recommended
Robin Williams ("Keating") arrives at an all boys school where he is to teach them English. As you'd expect, they weren't particularly interested, but when he begins by telling them to rip up the poetry manual, and continues with an inspirational and vocational approach the pupils start to engage not only with him, but they set up the eponymous club which helps each of them to develop as a person. This is quite a ...
Geronimo1967, TMDB Community

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
_**Seize the day; be Exceptional!**_ John Keating (Robin Williams), a new teacher at a stuffy prep school in 1959, inspires his students to capitalize on their natural talents and develop a passion for life because they only have one shot and in 60 years or so they'll all be worm-food. Each boy starts to act on Keating's dynamic ideas with explosive consequences , both good and bad. Released in 1989 and dire...
Wuchak, TMDB Community

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
Carpe Diem & The Punk Rock Movie. Dead Poets Society is directed by Peter Weir (Picnic At Hanging Rock/Gallipoli) and stars Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Kurtwood Smith, Gale Hansen & Norman Lloyd. The script is written by Tom Schulman, based on his life at Montgomery Bell Academy, an all-boys preparatory school in Nashville, Tennessee. The film is set in 1959 at the fictional Welton Academy...
John Chard, TMDB Community