Robin Williams portrays teacher John Keating in this touching coming-of-age tale about a group of boys trying to find their own voices in a 1950s setting within an elite and conservative boarding school. In one of his most somber and thoughtful roles, Williams displays a rare sense of constraint throughout Dead Poets Society as he guides his students toward seeking individuality and self-confidence. Quickly developing a loyal cult following, Keating infuses their existences with poetry, irreverence and fervor (“O Captain! My Captain!”)—to empowering and tragic ends. Australian New Wave director Peter Weir and writer Thomas Schulman—who would receive an Academy Award for Best Screenplay—craft an exhilaratingly romantic and literary movie for sensitive teenagers whose passions run counter to the status quo.