THE SOCIAL COMMENTARY IN THE FILM

This movie’s main theme is a combination of individuality, conformity, and freedom. It runs through every aspect of this film. The film shows how the students each face various challenges and pressures, whether from parents, peers, teachers, and even students at another school and tracks how each meets the expectations of society and their families and their desire for their own lives and thoughts.

The movie critiques the authoritarian educational system stifling all hints of individuality and instead shows us that freedom and individuality are essential to happiness and taking that away only leads to terrible consequences.

Nowhere is this seen more than in Neil’s suicide. Neil is passionate and talented. He loves acting, but his father is strict, controlling, and always willing to stick a foot in Niel’s ass. Neil defies him by going behind his back and acting, resulting in his father pulling him out of school. Neil feels hopeless and trapped and sees no way out of the situation. So he kills himself with his father’s gun, a direct result of his conflict between his individuality and the expected role his father has given him.

WHAT I LOVED

Everything. Every single second. This is one of my all-time favorite movies.

WHAT I DIDN’T

There’s literally nothing in this film I don’t like. I get that character development could be better in some places. I get that even its handling of poetry is extremely flat… and you know what? I don’t care. LOL Maybe I’m totally blindly in love, but I’m fine with that. 

FAVORITE PARTS

Almost nothing in cinema can match my feelings when Todd Anderson, the boy who was too afraid to read in class, gives up everything to stand on his desk and loudly proclaim, “O, Captain! My Captain!” It’s one of those moments that still gives me goosebumps, no matter how many times I’ve seen it. The end of this film is so incredibly powerful to me.

I also love the part where Todd comes up with poetry in the middle of class and the camera spins around him.

I absolutely adore Neil’s final seconds, no matter how many times he’s shattered my soul.

OTHER THOUGHTS

This has always been my favorite Robin Williams film. That hasn’t changed. I doubt it will change when I’ve finished all 59 films. But we’ll see. :)

I found out today it's set in 1959... and I just realized I have never noticed or cared that I didn't know what year it was set in.