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Parents' Guide to

The Sea Inside

By Carly Kocurek, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Fascinating story too complex for young viewers.

Movie PG-13 2004 125 minutes
The Sea Inside Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

Jessica Black
Jessica Black Adult
December 10, 2021
age 18+

Promotes legal suicide

I started to watch the movie with my teenage girl and we had to stop it. It promotes legal suicide or euthanasia. It is very sad, dishartened and brutal movie. There is no hope in the movie and no moral values at all.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

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.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (1 ):

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.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the government's role in protecting its citizens and the ethics of suicide and euthanasia. Why do so many people feel that it is Ramón's duty to continue his life? What arguments do these people make? How strong are they? Should the state be able to police suicides? If Ramón were not paralyzed, he could have killed himself unaided. How does his paralysis play into the issues at stake?

Movie Details

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