Grade: A- | Genre: Foreign Summary: The Sea Inside is a deeply moving film that takes on the extremely volatile subject matter of euthanasia with knowledge and grace. A man has been paralyzed from the neck down for 28 years. He decided long ago that life isn't worth living as he's deemed the quality of life to be basically zero. This isn't a rash decision that was haphazardly made upon awaking one gloomy morning or in a depressed state one drunken evening. It is an intention he's carried with him for the better part of his life, which he is unable to carry out himself due to his circumstance. He is of sound mind and discusses the topic rather matter of factly as you or I would the weather or whose turn it is to take out the trash. Is it really for any of us to say that he must keep living against his will? Is it right to prosecute someone who helps him carry out this deep seeded wish? The Sea Inside is a film that deals with the daunting issue of euthanasia, putting a face and a life on an issue that sparks much religious fervor and heated debate. This eloquent film looks to answer the question regarding if we really have the right to make someone live whose desire for life retreated long ago.

The Sea Inside is based on the true story of quadriplegic Ramon Sampedro's struggle to end his life with dignity. For 30 years, he's fought for that basic right, never wavering in his resolve to achieve that one end. The film realizes from the early goings that it has an uphill battle to climb because the vast majority of us see life for what it is -- an amazing gift to value each day we are afforded. We must physically become Ramon to discover for ourselves why the luster of his life has been peeled away. A lawyer (Rueda) decides to take his case before the Spanish court in hopes of allowing him to end his life by legal means. In her talking with Ramon to prepare the case, we see his life unfold before our eyes. In the years leading up to the accident, he was a vivacious young man. He was an irresistible presence to the ladies, and he traveled far and wide, living life to it's fullest without a care. One mistake would alter the course of his life forever. He'd dove off the cliffs countless times before; keenly aware of the tides sliding to and from, and how they affect the depth of the pool he would be plunging into. A broken moment of concentration hid the receding sea from his notice as he dove into very shallow water, snapping his neck. One of his friends was close at hand to save him before he drowns, but he would spend the rest of his life trying to give back that saving gasp of air.

Ramon is an extremely talented individual. The accident seems to have sharpened his quick mind instead of dulling it as you might expect of an individual seeking to end his own life. He invents several devices to facilitate his incapacitated state such as a clever writing device enabled by a pen extending from his mouth. He also has special mechanisms for answering the phone and has reengineered his wheelchair to accommodate his special needs. He writes reams of beautiful poetry that are assembled and published. Ramon still maintains his gift for wooing the fairer sex and possesses a wickedly dark sense of humor. He is constantly smiling and when asked how a person with his resolve could be smiling all the time he responds, "When you can't escape and you depend on others, you learn to cry by smiling." Ramon is a cool individual that you are instantly drawn to and a tight bond quickly forms.

The Sea Inside Spanish Title: Mar adentro Starring: Javier Bardem, Belen Rueda, Lola Duenas, Mabel Rivera, Celso Bugallo and Clara Segura Director: Alejandro Amenabar Buy or Rent The Sea Inside You may also like... Night, Mother Matters of Life and Death - Tom Regan Before Night Falls Email this article to a friend Curves Duluth Discover a Gym Where Women Can Change their Lives 30 Minutes at a Time www.curvesduluth.com Wicked Tickets Find Sold Out Theatre Tickets To the Hottest Shows on Broadway www.VandelayTickets.com Genocide in Darfur Darfur has been called "Rwanda in Slow Motion." Learn more and help. www.SaveDarfur.org

Another great aspect of this film is watching how those close to him react to his plan to kill himself. His brother forbids him to do any such thing under his roof. His sister-in-law and primary care giver holds her feelings close to her chest, but seems to support whatever will ease Ramon's pain. Their son Javier and the grandfather seem hopelessly caught in the middle, desperately trying to make sense out of something that was never meant to. There is never a lack of love directed towards Ramon from his family and friends, but he tells of how he cast off his girlfriend after the accident, telling her he could never love again. The thought spins in the back of your mind that if he could love and have that love returned, would it be enough to grant him the will to continue living? The film delivers two potential women who catch his eye, tease his heart and who fall for him.

The film's only problem is with pacing. The first hour can be slow as they are setting up all the elements and building our rapport with Ramon as he makes his case for dying. Once the story really starts to move it is a runaway freight train, emotionally crushing and so very powerful. You can't get out of the way of this one regardless of which direction you leap. It does leave us with several frustrating question like what was in the letter and why did she change her mind? On one hand, that is part of the film's charm similar to not knowing what is in that infernal briefcase in Pulp Fiction. On the other hand, I was really bothered by not knowing.

The Sea Inside is a deeply moving film that takes on an extremely volatile subject matter with knowledge and grace. The direction is superb and Bardem's portrayal of Ramon couldn't be more effective. Oscar's choice for best foreign film was well placed. If the Motorcycle Diaries had been nominated, this would have been a much closer call. This is the new defacto movie concerning euthanasia, and why it should be decriminalized. Obviously, people shouldn't be allowed to end their life just because they feel like dying. Many people are chemically imbalanced and their outlook on life can be positively altered with the help of medication and therapy. Also, it should be a course of action either pursued over a long course of time or one that eases the suffering of someone that has a limited time to live such as a person with terminal cancer. Their wanting to leave a life that has already left without them isn't selfish; it's humane and allowing them to die with dignity on their own terms. You can't live your life for another person(s), only for yourself. If it's their time, you have to let them go and respect their wishes. This film explores this topic very well yet provides just as many questions as it does answers. It is a film to be mulled over and discussed to find out where your beliefs truly lie.