The Sea Inside (PG-13, 2004)

Paralyzed from the neck down after a swimming accident, Ramón Sampedro (Javier Bardem) fought the Spanish government for 30 years for his right to die. THE SEA INSIDE tells the story of his real-life struggle and ultimately, his death. Ramón writes poetry and prose, listens to records and works tirelessly toward his death. At the core of the film are Ramón's relationships with his family, as well as with two women: (Belén Rueda), the lawyer who hopes to help him win his case, and Rosa (Lola Dueñas), a single mother who hopes to convince him to live. Despite the objections of his brother and public criticism, Ramón remains constant in his desire to die. Much of the film is a character study of Ramón with pertinent background information relayed through interviews with Julia and conversations with other characters.

As Ramón, Bardem is extremely charismatic, maintaining the character's wry sense of humor throughout the film. Another standout is Tamar Novas as Ramón's teenaged nephew. From a technical standpoint, the movie is beautiful, particularly in depictions of the beautiful Spanish coast.

Although the topic of The Sea Inside would easily lend itself to a tear-jerking melodrama, the film is for the most part a quiet, meditative film. It asks difficult questions, many of them open-ended, and many of them left unanswered.

Studio: Fine Line Features
Director: Alejandro Amenabar
Cast: Belen Rueda, Javier Bardem, Lola Duenas
Genre: Drama
Run time: 125 minutes
Theatrical release: December 17, 2004
DVD release: May 17, 2005
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: intense depiction of mature thematic material.