My name is Karen Chee, and I am a weeper.
It’s true; I cry very easily when I watch movies or read books. A really good book with even a hint of sadness gets me to tear up and emit a crying sound resembling that of a sob. This is generally the reason why many of my friends refuse to go to the theatres with me. Well, at least it’s the reason they tell me – you never really know.
But like most people, I usually don’t find myself crying at a movie after I’ve watched it a few times. It makes sense: I know the storyline, I know who dies, I know what happens, maybe I’m sad for a bit, but then it’s all over. As the hip and cool would say it, the movie becomes “nbd.” But for me, there is one film that stands out as a fine exception to this rule: Dead Poets Society.
A title that many of my fellow high schoolers have never heard of, Dead Poets Society, released in 1989, is really a remarkable film. Set in 1959 at Welton Academy, an all boys’ prep school, the story centers around a group of students whose lives are transformed by the unorthodox teachings of their new English professor, John Keating (Robin Williams). Their predictable and pre-set lives take a turn as Keating’s lessons act as a sharp wake-up call to seize the day and “do something extraordinary” in the world.
Quoting the likes of Shakespeare, Whitman, and Byron, Professor Keating proves to be an unprecedented and arguably worthy figure in the boys’ lives. Inspiring them to “carpe diem,” or “seize the day,” the boys gain the courage to do things they were previously afraid of. They begin to pursue goals they used to only dream about, and their eyes become opened to the seemingly endless possibilities that await them. Guiding the students to look at life from a different point of view, Keating helps the students break out of the conformity of Welton Academy and find their own voice. He becomes a beloved mentor and role model to the students on campus, much to the distaste and concern of the conservative and strict school administration.
Written by Tom Schulman and directed by Peter Weir, this extraordinary film is also notable for starring Robin Williams in one of its principle roles. Breaking away from his signature manic form of comedy, Williams really gives an unforgettable performance as the hopeful and wise Professor Keating. Working alongside the likes of Robert Sean Leonard and Ethan Hawke, Williams is really the keystone of the cast — and even possibly of the film itself.
Having rightfully earned nominations and a win from the prestigious Academy Awards, this film is one that I regret is not more well known. As a high schooler hoping to make her mark on the world someday, this is a truly beautiful film that never fails to encourage, assure, and inspire me in the dreams that I pursue.
It also makes me cry.
