I first watched Schulman’s “Dead Poet Society” when I was 12 years old, so naturally there was a lot I didn’t remember about the movie walking into the viewing on Friday. But watching the movie again, at this age, was like seeing an entire different film. At that age I didn’t quite understand why professors Keating’s words and actions had such a profound impact on the boys’ outlook on life. The entire concept of the film seemed silly. I had attended very high pressure schools since I was a child and had never been suicidal. Why would anyone kill themselves because they didn’t like the career they were being forced into?

The entire premise of the movie seems much more understandable now. Being better able to empathize with Neil’s death I found the heart wrenching. There is, however, still a lot that the movie gets wrong. Mostly about depression, and just exactly how one gets to the point of suicide. The film also romanticizes the effects of both societal and familial pressure.

For one, we never actually see Neil feeling hopeless. His reaction to his father’s demands are more representative a quiet submission and genuine belief that his father does know what is best for him. The fact that he killed himself so suddenly, without much coming before that scene that would indicate he was suicidal is odd. His death came out of nowhere, and suicides rarely ever do.

There is also something of a glamour about the school they attend. The idea of a select group of elite boys who will become the leaders of the future seems fabulous. We never see them struggle over homework, or feel distress or despair. I know first hand that attending that type of school is not all fun and games. This, also ties into the randomness of Neil’s death.