Although Dead Poets Society had some flaws, I thought it was a very good movie. The best part of it to me was the acting of Robin Williams. Even though he was probably best known for his comedy, Robin Williams was cast in a few serious roles: he played an inspiring English teacher in this movie and a psychologist to Matt Damon in the movie Good Will Hunting. His acting was so believable that he moves the viewers to feel the emotion of the characters that he corresponds with in the movie. As a result, we ourselves are inspired to defy convention and to follow our dreams just as Keating tells his students.
I was not expecting the events that happened at the end, which made it more emotionally moving. Since the one student could not follow his dreams of becoming an actor (because his parents were forcing him to go down the path to become a doctor), he committed suicide. As a result, Keating was blamed for the suicide and was fired from the school. The movie ends with the students standing on their desks, yelling “O Captain! My Captain!” to Keating: the students already knew that Keating was wrongly blamed for the suicide, but now they have fully realized the meaning of why he taught the way he did.
I find it interesting that you think Robin Williams’s character in this movie was more serious than comical. I felt his character was more comedic than anything else, and only switched to a more dramatic role later in the movie when the events you spoke about transpired. In most of his scenes he is seen laughing, smiling, and doing what he loves most, teaching.
Great take on Robin Williams outstanding performance in Dead Poet Society. Interestingly, it is rated as comedy but I agree that it generates extreme emotions mixing terrible tragedy behind comedy, which are part of the duality of creative arts. The struggle between joy that masks dark emotions and tragedy has base in the Greek theater. Sadly, the outcome of suicide is very unexpected in Neil Perry’s case as it was in Robin Williams own death. It is still incomprehensible how a revered comedian such as Robin Williams that brought so much joy in his performances struggled with depression, addiction, and the darkness and complexity of mental illness.