Rental Review: Dead Poets Society

By Ryn Gargulinski
Any movie that depicts poetry as a deep-seated human need should theoretically get high ranks in my book, although I was nearly bored enough to rip my eyes out.

The flick starts slow and languid, not unlike Wordsworthian verse, but then draws us into a land of molasses-like ennui, like some of that wishy washy Victorian poetry.

The main set of characters, too, are in the wishy washy vein, enough that one feels like kicking them in the shins.

Yes, the movie gets better. We get specks of passion a la Whitman, love Shakespearean style and even some hip, beat poetry tones.

The ending comes quick, abrupt and screaming with agony, the same agony one finds with Sylvia Plath.

Highlight: Ending scene, which is hokey, but brings one to tears nonetheless.
Lowlight: The cliché of blaming death, destruction and all evils of the world on the new guy with new ideas.
Rating (1-10): 6.42