Dead Poets Society
Maverick teacher John Keating returns in 1959 to the prestigious New England boys' boarding school where he was once a star student, using poetry to embolden his pupils to new heights of self-expression.
Directed by Peter Weir · Comedy · Drama · 128 min · 1989
Trailer
Director
Peter Weir
Writer
Tom Schulman
Studio
Touchstone Pictures / Silver Screen Partners IV
Release
09 Jun 1989
Runtime
128 min
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Full Plot
Painfully shy Todd Anderson has been sent to the school where his popular older brother was valedictorian. His roommate, Neil Perry, although exceedingly bright and popular, is very much under the thumb of his overbearing father. The two, along with their other friends, meet Professor Keating, their new English teacher, who tells them of the Dead Poets Society, and encourages them to go against the status quo. Each does so in his own way, and is changed for life.
Cast & Characters
John Keating, new English teacher
Robin Williams
Neil Perry
Robert Sean Leonard
Todd Anderson
Ethan Hawke
Knox Overstreet
Josh Charles
Charlie Dalton
Gale Hansen
Richard Cameron
Dylan Kussman
Steven Meeks
Allelon Ruggiero
Gerard Pitts
James Waterston
Chris Noel, Knox's love interest and a cheerleader at Ridgeway High.
Alexandra Powers
Dr. Gale Nolan, headmaster of Welton Academy.
Norman Lloyd
Thomas Perry, Neil's domineering father.
Kurtwood Smith
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $16.4M, Dead Poets Society has grossed $235.9M worldwide — about 14.4x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
The worldwide box office was reported as $235,860,579, which includes domestic grosses of $95,860,116.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
The original script was written by Tom Schulman, based on his experiences at the Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, particularly with his inspirational teacher, Samuel Pickering.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
Dead Poets Society holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (643,802 votes), 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 79/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of July 30, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.1/10 on IMDb (643,802 votes), 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 79/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dead Poets Society's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Dead Poets Society holds a 85% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Dead Poets Society's IMDb rating?+
Dead Poets Society has a 8.1/10 rating on IMDb from 643,802 votes.
What is Dead Poets Society's Metacritic score?+
Dead Poets Society has a Metascore of 79/100 on Metacritic.
Is Dead Poets Society good? What are critics saying?+
Dead Poets Society holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (643,802 votes), 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 79/100 on Metacritic.
How long is Dead Poets Society?+
Dead Poets Society has a runtime of 128 min.
Who directed Dead Poets Society?+
Dead Poets Society was directed by Peter Weir.
Where can I watch Dead Poets Society?+
Dead Poets Society is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Disney Plus, Rakuten TV, Sky Store, JioHotstar, VI movies and tv.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The movie has received generally positive reviews from critics, who praise its inspiring story and strong performances, particularly from Robin Williams. Many reviewers appreciate its thought-provoking themes and message about the importance of following one's passion.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
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 Mo…
John Chard · 9/10_**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…
Wuchak · 10/10Robin 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 pupil…
CinemaSerf · 7/10The (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…
crazyrobinhood · 1/10"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…
kevin2019 · 8/10
From the trailer's comments
One of my greatest teachers told me that he became a teacher because of this movie. This movie made him a teacher that won teacher of the year in a school in Texas. This movie changed lives.
@asdffdsa4339 · 10421 likesHonestly, one of the best films ever made. Moves you in ways you would never know
@cleobador3061 · 7185 likesI don't care what some people say, "Dead Poets Society" is a masterpiece. Inspiring and moving in ways I never expected.
@jeremyheartriter2.063 · 5258 likesAll of Robin Williams’ movies were masterpieces, but they’re always more bittersweet and meaningful since his passing. I miss him everyday. He was one of the actors i credit in raising me
@Userrrio · 3388 likesOne of the best scene is when how Mr. Keating motivates Todd to recite a poem in front of the class.. Powerful
@bunchang7194 · 1703 likes" Language was developed for one endeavor and that is to woo women " - Robin Williams 😎
@mukundarora5138 · 609 likesIt's like dumbledore's army but muggles
@aralanched · 2149 likesThis movie has given me a part of myself that I didn't know I was missing.
@madiha5401 · 694 likes
