Dead Poets Society 1989

Vincent Canby, New York Times: The movie undercuts Mr. Williams's exceptionally fine performance, making the character seem more of a dubious fool than is probably intended. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: The moral divisions set up between characters are childishly overdrawn; and, worst of all, the behavior shown by the boys and adults frequently reeks of falsity and contrivance. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Not the worst of the countless recent movies about good kids and hidebound, authoritatian older people. It may, however, be the most shameless in its attempt to pander to an adolescent audience. Read more

Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine: Williams, who has comparatively little screen time, has come to act, not to cut comic riffs, and he does so with forceful, ultimately compelling, simplicity. Read more

Time Out: Weir infuses the film with his customary mysticism, but more importantly, draws sensitive performances from his largely inexperienced cast. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: Story sings whenever Williams is onscreen. Screen belongs just as often to Leonard, who as Neil has a quality of darting confidence mixed with hesitancy. Hawke, as the painfully shy Todd, gives a haunting performance. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: Solid, smart entertainment. Read more

Rita Kempley, Washington Post: It's a literate though strained uplifter, a not altogether compatible coupleting of Rocky Balboa and the Bard. Read more