O Captain, My Captain! (A Few Thoughts on DPS)

Okay, so I finally got around to rewatching "Dead Poets Society" after, like, a decade. I think the idea of it resonated so much with me as a teen, you know, carpe diem and all that, but watching it now, I have some… complicated thoughts. I'm Priya, by the way, and I'm obsessed with international cinema more than anything, but I appreciate a good Hollywood classic too, and this one definitely qualifies. Firstly, the whole 'inspiring teacher' trope is a well-worn one, but Robin Williams is undeniably captivating as Keating. The scene in the classroom where he has them ripping pages out of the poetry textbook? Iconic! But then, looking at it through a more critical lens, is his teaching style actually...responsible? Neil Perry's tragic ending feels almost directly correlated to Keating's encouragement to pursue your passion at any cost. It's a tough one because I get the spirit of it, but gosh, that film got dark quickly. My theory is that the movie exposes the problem with romantic idealization. It wants us to root for the rebellion, but it also kind of subtly shows the fallacies of that kind of unrestrained passion and the limitations of a 'seize the day' philosophy when applied to complex social and power structures. It's not enough to want to be an actor when your dad controls your entire life and has your future mapped out for you. It's heartbreaking and complicated! Anyone else feel like it's darker than you remember from your angsty teen years? Maybe it's just me getting old, haha! Would love to hear your thoughts. Oh, and who the heck directed this? I always forget! (Googling now...Peter Weir! Okay, that makes sense.)