Dead Poets Society is an iconic coming-of-age film that has resonated with audiences for decades. Directed by Peter Weir and starring the incomparable Robin Williams, the 1989 drama follows the story of an unconventional English teacher named John Keating who inspires his students at an elite all-boys prep school to embrace their individuality and “seize the day.”
Through Keating’s unorthodox teaching methods and passion for poetry, the boys begin to challenge the conformity and repression of their rigid upbringings. They form the “Dead Poets Society,” a secret club where they sneak out at night to read verse, discover themselves, and truly come alive. The film beautifully captures the magic of adolescence, the power of literature to awaken the soul, and the profound impact one remarkable teacher can have.
If you love Dead Poets Society and are looking for more moving, thought-provoking films in a similar vein, here are 15 of the best movies that capture the same spirit and themes:
1. Good Will Hunting (1997)
Good Will Hunting is another Robin Williams classic that shares DNA with Dead Poets Society. The film follows Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a janitor at MIT who secretly possesses genius-level intellect. After solving a difficult graduate-level math problem, his talents are discovered by a professor who decides to help the misguided youth reach his potential.
Like Dead Poets Society, a key relationship forms between Williams’ character, psychologist Sean Maguire, and the younger Will. Through Sean’s mentorship, Will is forced to confront his past demons, learn to accept love, and embrace the rare gifts inside him. Both films beautifully demonstrate how one person believing in you can change the entire trajectory of your life.
Good Will Hunting won two Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for Robin Williams. The screenplay, written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, also won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. After failing to be cast in Dead Poets Society as young actors, they penned their own script in the same inspirational teacher genre – an amazing real-life example of the film’s message about overcoming obstacles and fulfilling your potential.
Where to Watch: Stream on Starz or rent on Amazon, Apple TV
2. Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)
Mr. Holland’s Opus is a moving drama about Glenn Holland (Richard Dreyfuss), a passionate musician and composer who takes a teaching job to pay the rent while working on his symphony. Though initially frustrated with his students, “Mr. Holland” soon finds fulfillment as an inspirational music teacher. Over the course of 30 years, he touches the lives of generations of students while grappling with his own dreams deferred.
Like Dead Poets Society, the film is an ode to devoted educators who make personal sacrifices to unlock the potential in their students. It celebrates the nobility of teaching as a true calling. Richard Dreyfuss delivers a stellar, Oscar-nominated performance as Mr. Holland, and the film’s climactic final scene is an emotional gut-punch that rivals the “O Captain! My Captain!” moment in Dead Poets Society.
Where to Watch: Stream on Disney+ or rent on Amazon, Apple TV
3. School of Rock (2003)
On the lighter end of the spectrum, School of Rock is a hilarious yet heartfelt comedy starring Jack Black as Dewey Finn, a down-and-out wannabe rock star who poses as his friend to take a substitute teaching job at a prestigious prep school. While his unorthodox, rock-fueled teaching methods initially shock the straitlaced students and faculty, Dewey ultimately inspires his class to embrace their inner rock stars.
School of Rock shares the “rebellious teacher shakes up stuffy school” plotline with Dead Poets Society, but trades in the weighty drama for fish-out-of-water laughs and a family-friendly tone. Like Robin Williams, Jack Black’s manic energy and real-life musicianship shine through in his performance. The talented young cast of kids learning to express themselves through rock music will melt your heart.
Where to Watch: Stream on Paramount+ or rent on Amazon, Apple TV
4. Mona Lisa Smile (2003)
Set in 1953 at the all-female Wellesley College, Mona Lisa Smile stars Julia Roberts as Katherine Watson, a progressive art history professor who encourages her students to challenge the conformist mores of the era and pursue their own dreams. Among her students are Joan (Julia Stiles), Giselle (Maggie Gyllenhaal), and Betty (Kirsten Dunst), who each grapple with the societal expectations of women at the time.
Like Dead Poets Society, the film explores how an inspiring teacher pushes students to think for themselves and question the paths laid out for them by tradition or expectation. The stellar cast delivers moving performances, and the period setting lends the story an extra layer of resonance as the characters rebel against the stifling gender roles of the 1950s.
Where to Watch: Rent on Amazon, Apple TV
5. Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
Based on the 1934 novella by James Hilton, Goodbye, Mr. Chips is a classic British drama that chronicles the life of Mr. Chipping (Robert Donat), a beloved schoolteacher at Brookfield boarding school. Over the course of his career, the stern Mr. Chips earns the affection of his students and helps shape the lives of generations of schoolboys.
One of the earliest “inspirational teacher” movies, Goodbye, Mr. Chips set the template for many films to follow, including Dead Poets Society. The movie is a poignant meditation on the profound impact teachers can have and how much they sacrifice for their calling. Robert Donat won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his iconic performance.
Where to Watch: Rent on Amazon, Apple TV
6. The Emperor’s Club (2002)
Set at a fictional boys’ prep school, The Emperor’s Club stars Kevin Kline as William Hundert, a passionate classics professor who strives to mold his students into moral, principled young men. He is especially drawn to a rebellious new student named Sedgewick Bell (Emile Hirsch), the underachieving son of a U.S. senator.
The Emperor’s Club shares many similarities with Dead Poets Society – the prep school setting, the devoted teacher, the defiant students, and the tension between tradition and individuality. Kevin Kline’s commanding performance as Mr. Hundert anchors the film, and the themes of character, integrity and the true measure of a meaningful life pack an emotional punch.
Where to Watch: Stream on Hoopla or rent on Amazon, Apple TV
7. Lean on Me (1989)
Lean on Me stars Morgan Freeman as Joe Clark, a real-life inner city high school principal in Paterson, New Jersey who takes a hard line to improve the school’s test scores and save it from being taken over by the state. His tough love approach and unorthodox methods make him a hero to some and a villain to others.
Released the same year as Dead Poets Society, Lean on Me offers a grittier, more urban take on the inspirational teacher genre. Yet both films depict educators who go to battle with the administration on behalf of their students. Morgan Freeman’s stirring performance as “Crazy Joe” Clark, along with the film’s themes of discipline, dedication, and beating the odds, make it a must-see.
Where to Watch: Rent on Amazon, Apple TV
8. To Sir, with Love (1967)
A classic of the genre, To Sir, with Love stars the iconic Sidney Poitier as Mark Thackeray, an idealistic engineer who takes a teaching job at a tough East End London school. He struggles to connect with his unruly, mostly white students until he throws out the textbook and starts treating them like young adults.
To Sir, with Love broke new ground as one of the first films to depict a Black teacher in a position of authority. Like Dead Poets Society, it celebrates an unconventional educator who earns his students’ respect by seeing them as individuals and pushing them to see their own worth. Sidney Poitier is brilliant in the lead role, and the film’s title song performed by Lulu became a pop hit.
Where to Watch: Stream on HBO Max or rent on Amazon, Apple TV
9. Freedom Writers (2007)
Based on a true story, Freedom Writers stars Hilary Swank as Erin Gruwell, a young teacher assigned to a class of at-risk students at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California. She inspires her diverse students to overcome their hardships and pursue education by having them keep journals about their lives.
While Freedom Writers and Dead Poets Society are set at opposite ends of the socioeconomic spectrum, both showcase teachers who connect with students by validating their voices and experiences. The students’ struggles in Freedom Writers are more extreme, but the film’s message about the power of self-expression is just as uplifting. Hilary Swank anchors the film with a moving performance.
Where to Watch: Stream on Showtime or rent on Amazon, Apple TV
10. The Great Debaters (2007)
Directed by and starring Denzel Washington, The Great Debaters tells the true story of the debate team at the historically Black Wiley College in Texas. Washington plays Melvin B. Tolson, an English professor who coaches the elite debate squad to a groundbreaking victory over Harvard University in the 1930s.
Like Dead Poets Society, the film is an underdog story about students being pushed to realize their full potential by a passionate educator. It also explores the power of language and intellect to break barriers. The Jim Crow South setting gives the story extra historical heft, and the debates over racial injustice still resonate today. Washington and breakout star Jurnee Smollett deliver powerful performances.
Where to Watch: Rent on Amazon, Apple TV
11. Stand and Deliver (1988)
Another classic based on a true story, Stand and Deliver stars Edward James Olmos as Jaime Escalante, a math teacher at an underperforming East Los Angeles high school. His unconventional and demanding teaching methods help turn a group of struggling students into math whizzes who pass the AP Calculus exam.
Stand and Deliver is an inspiring underdog story that depicts how one dedicated teacher can defy expectations and empower students to achieve more than society thinks them capable of. Edward James Olmos’ captivating, Oscar-nominated performance drives the film, and the real-life success of Escalante’s students gives the story extra weight. Like Dead Poets Society, it’s an unforgettable portrait of an educator who changes lives.
Where to Watch: Stream on HBO Max or rent on Amazon, Apple TV
12. Dangerous Minds (1995)
Dangerous Minds stars Michelle Pfeiffer as LouAnne Johnson, a former U.S. Marine who takes a job teaching at an inner-city high school. She struggles to connect with her students until she starts using unconventional methods like teaching Bob Dylan lyrics as poetry and instituting a rewards system for completed assignments.
While the film faced some criticism for leaning into white savior tropes, Dangerous Minds was a box office hit that shares the “unorthodox teacher inspires at-risk youth” plot with Dead Poets Society. Michelle Pfeiffer’s compelling lead performance and the film’s hip-hop-infused soundtrack, including the hit song “Gangsta’s Paradise” by Coolio, made it a cultural touchstone of the 1990s.
Where to Watch: Stream on Starz or rent on Amazon, Apple TV
13. Take the Lead (2006)
Take the Lead stars Antonio Banderas as Pierre Dulaine, a ballroom dance instructor who volunteers to teach dance to a diverse group of inner-city high school students in detention. Though initially resistant, the teens soon find an outlet in dance and start to confront the issues in their lives.
Inspired by the real-life story of Pierre Dulaine and his Dancing Classrooms program, Take the Lead follows the classic template of a teacher inspiring underserved students to transcend their circumstances, much like Dead Poets Society. The film trades poetry for dance, but the message of arts education as a vehicle for self-expression and transformation is the same. Antonio Banderas brings suave charm to the role of Dulaine.
Where to Watch: Stream on Pluto TV or rent on Amazon, Apple TV
14. Precious (2009)
Precious, based on the novel “Push” by Sapphire, tells the story of Claireece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), an overweight, illiterate 16-year-old girl in 1980s Harlem who is pregnant with her second child by her abusive father. She enrolls in an alternative school where a compassionate teacher named Ms. Rain (Paula Patton) helps her find her voice through writing.
While far grittier and more harrowing than Dead Poets Society, Precious is a powerful film about how education and self-expression can be lifelines for even the most marginalized students. Gabourey Sidibe and Mo’Nique both received Oscar nominations for their raw, unforgettable performances. Like Dead Poets Society, the film is a testament to the transformative impact caring teachers can have.
Where to Watch: Stream on Tubi or rent on Amazon, Apple TV
15. Akeelah and the Bee (2006)
Akeelah and the Bee stars Keke Palmer as Akeelah Anderson, an 11-year-old girl from South Los Angeles with a talent for spelling. With the help of her coach and mentor, Dr. Joshua Larabee (Laurence Fishburne), she works to make it to the Scripps National Spelling Bee while overcoming obstacles like her own self-doubt and pressure from her community.
While the story centers around a student rather than a teacher, Akeelah and the Bee shares the uplifting mentor relationship and underdog triumph of Dead Poets Society. The film is an inspiring, family-friendly story about the power of education and self-belief to help you soar. Young Keke Palmer shines in her breakout role, with strong support from Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett.
Where to Watch: Stream on Peacock or rent on Amazon, Apple TV
These 15 films all echo the spirit and themes of Dead Poets Society in their own ways. Whether set in privileged prep schools or underserved public ones, they are stories of students learning to think for themselves, stand up for what they believe in, and strive for something greater in life. They also pay tribute to the heroic educators who touch lives from the front of the classroom each day.
At their core, Dead Poets Society and its cinematic cousins are celebrations of the humanities – the arts, literature, and scholarship that make us human. They inspire us to seize the day, think for ourselves, and find our own voices.
