If I were Neil

I think the problem clearly was supposed to be that Neil's father was such a controlling and domineering parent that he had effectively made his son weak. He'd beaten all the spirit out him. In his determination to prepare Neil for a prosperous career and future , he had clearly micromanaged Neal's entire life. A couple of scenes show him to be a tyrant; we see how even Neil's lightest, most tentative protests against his father's plans for him earn him, at minimum, a harsh and completely inflexible rebuke, and any perceived disobedience earns him severe punishment. A lifetime of this treatment has simply beaten Neil down and made him completely terrified of his father.

I think looking ahead, Neil just saw his father would continue to attempt to dominate and control him, even after he turned 18. Keating told him to talk with his father, which Neil knew would be completely futile, and would get his head bitten off. Again. Keating urged him to try and make his father understand how important acting was to him, but Neil knew from bitter experience his father would never listen -- would in fact peremptorily shut down any attempt at conversation with more rebukes and more punishments. And I think Neil understood that even after he turned 18, he was legally his own man, but he also understood that his father would be infuriated at Neils defiance, would cut him off financially, he'd never be allowed to remain under his dad's roof if he didn't do what his dad wanted, and this would mean being broke, homeless, and unemployed.

At the end of the day, Neil's father had just beaten him down too much and left him too emotionally and spiritually crippled to launch out on his own with no money and no support at all. So he embraced suicide as an escape from a joyless life he saw no other way of avoiding.

Here is another perspective: I know how it feels like "your life is controlled" when you just happened to find your love. For Neil, it's acting;for me, it's philosophy. When I was about to graduate from my high school and made my own choice, something terrible happened upon me and I barely took it. It was a disaster to my grades, so I lost my chance to study my love in college. Guess what, after four years of learning English Literature, my life keeps going on and I pick up some new skills, like writing poems or essays.
I found a huge change on my mentality and this is probably a key to be an educator. I moved so far away from philosophy and though I was frustrated at first, I pursuaded myself to accept the reality by more realistic considerations. I couldn't enter a good college for learning philosophy;actually my current one is the best choice that no one could do better. Thus, I am satisfied.
Yes, I am satisfied. Maybe I had an arguement with my parents(my major and college were chosen by them), but right now I am grateful for my present platform. So, all in all, I believe problem comes from being overambitious. If parents could turn the focus from "I want or I don't want" into "I can or I can't", I think it will minimize the conflicts between two generations.
Let Neil do what he want to do but secretly guide him to reach his limit. Probably he will be realistic and drop his unpractical dream. You have to let him give up his love by himself. But do not intrude his decisions. Sometimes God put those sufferings in a man's way only to break his immature expectations.
As parents, do not control your children when they are old. Just watch how far they can go and try to provide them a safety net. Agree with Neil's after-class acting but reinforce his primary subject learning. Moreover, Neil parents could allow Neil to participate some national acting competition and test his talents. Once he find he couldn't make it, he will just treat it as his personal hobby...