Dead Poets Society
1989 · Movie · PG · 129 min · ★ 8.3 · 82% critics
Set at an elite, traditional boarding school in New England, an unconventional English teacher motivates students to question rigid rules and fully embrace each day. His lessons spark rebellion and ignite both inspiration and conflict, drawing the stern attention of the school’s headmaster.
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Details
- Years
- 1989
- Release date
- 1989-06-02
- Language
- English
- Rated
- PG
- Runtime
- 129 min
- Critic score
- 82/100
- TMDB rating
- 8.3/10 (12,628 votes)
- Box office
- $235,860,116
- Budget
- $16,400,000
About
You’ll like it if you enjoy inspiring coming-of-age stories about thinking for yourself, especially those with school pressures and rebellion like Good Will Hunting or Billy Elliot; Not for you if you want only light, trouble-free drama with no emotional heaviness.
Pros: inspiring teacher tale; memorable youth performances; strong moral themes | Cons: heavy pressure themes; some viewers find ending divisive
Themes
- individual
- friendship
- philosophy
- poetry
- literature
- professor
- based on true story
- coming of age
- teacher
- school play
- new england
- vermont
- +4 more
Awards & recognition
- César Award — Best Foreign Film · 1991
- Academy Award — Best Writing, Original Screenplay · 1990
- BAFTA Award — Best Film · 1990
- BAFTA Award — Best Original Music · 1990
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
Show all 24 awards →
- César Award — Best Foreign Film · 1991 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Director · 1990 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Picture · 1990 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Writing, Original Screenplay · 1990 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Actor · 1990 · nominated
- BAFTA Award — Best Original Music · 1990 · nominated
- BAFTA Award — Best Film · 1990 · nominated
- BAFTA Award — Best Direction · 1990 · nominated
- BAFTA Award — Best Original Screenplay · 1990 · nominated
- BAFTA Award — Best Editing · 1990 · nominated
- BAFTA Award — Best Actor in a Leading Role · 1990 · nominated
- David di Donatello — Best Foreign Actor · 1990 · nominated
- David di Donatello — Best Foreign Director · 1990 · nominated
- Writers Guild of America Award — Best Original Screenplay · 1990 · nominated
- Directors Guild of America Award — Outstanding Directing – Feature Film · 1989 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Screenplay · 1989 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama · 1989 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Director · 1989 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Motion Picture – Drama · 1989 · nominated
Cast & crew
Robin Williams
as John Keating
Robert Sean Leonard
as Neil Perry
Ethan Hawke
as Todd Anderson
Josh Charles
as Knox Overstreet
Gale Hansen
as Charlie Dalton
Dylan Kussman
as Richard Cameron
Allelon Ruggiero
as Steven Meeks
James Waterston
as Gerard Pitts
Norman Lloyd
as Mr. Nolan
Kurtwood Smith
as Mr. Perry
Directed by Peter Weir