Robin Williams’ ‘80s Masterpiece Movie Just Arrived on Hulu

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That movie is Dead Poets Society, and it’s been streaming on Hulu since March 1st. Directed by Peter Weir, the movie is set at the prestigious 1950s Welton Academy, where conformity is enforced as a foundational, oppressive pillar. Williams stars as John Keating, an unconventional English teacher who encourages and inspires his students to break free from conformity, challenge conventions, and “seize the day” through the study of poetry. Dead Poets Society, which also stars a young Ethan Hawke and Robert Sean Leonard, was the fifth-highest-grossing film of 1989 with a $235 million box office haul and also won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Robin Williams’ Dead Poets Society Is a Landmark Coming-Of-Age Film

The ‘80s were a golden age for coming-of-age cinema, and Dead Poets Society sits alongside others like The Breakfast Club and Back to the Future as an ‘80s coming-of-age classic. The movie perfectly captures the emotional complexity of adolescence and the at times painful transition from youth to adulthood with a classic story about a struggle against conformity. Williams’ portrayal of Keating, a mentor who empowers students to think for themselves and challenge rigid conformity, remains one of his best, and the character’s carpe diem mentality serves as an inspiring message not just for his students, but also for viewers.

The movie’s powerful and emotional exploration of youth, rebellion, and the pressure to conform, and the journeys of self-discovery the characters go on throughout the film, have made Dead Poets Society a quintessential coming-of-age movie. Decades later, the movie still holds up and remains one of Williams’ best. Dead Poets Society’s “Certified Fresh” 85% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes even makes it the actor’s eighth-highest-rated in terms of Tomatometer ratings. The film also boasts an impressive 92% audience rating, which ties Dead Poets Society with An Evening with Robin Williams and Aladdin as Williams’ second-highest-rated movie in terms of audience score.

What’s New on Hulu?

Dead Poets Society is one of several movies newly streaming on Hulu this March. This month, the Disney-backed streamer has added titles like Cast Away, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Finding Nemo, Juno, Memoirs of a Geisha, Raising Arizona, and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Hulu still has a few more films to add before the end of the month, including King Ivory on March 20th, Garfield (2024) on March 21st, and Dangerous Animals on March 31st.

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