Barnes & Noble

One of 2004's most profoundly moving films, The Sea Inside recounts the heartrending story of a Spanish quadriplegic who, after spending 26 years in bed, insists that he has a right to die. Paralyzed from the neck down in a diving accident as a young man, Ramon Sampedro (Javier Bardem) has the support of a devoted family and the ability to write by holding a pen in his mouth. He enjoys music, listens to the radio, watches TV, and imagines himself flying away on beautiful days. He is loved by a local girl, Rosa (Lola Duenas), and by his lawyer, Julia (Belen Rueda), herself the victim of a degenerative disease. Although he puts up a brave front, Ramon believes his condition affords him no dignity and wants only to die. This is an intensely dramatic film; even the most hard-hearted viewer will be affected by Ramon's predicament and the icy-cold reasoning he brings to seeking the ultimate escape. The always-exemplary Bardem operates at the peak of his ability, investing the character with great warmth and limitless charm while expertly (and often subtly) depicting the pain and frustration he experiences on a daily basis. Both sides of the euthanasia issue are presented; the right-to-die lawyer Julia supports Sampedro's decision, while the villager Rosa and the local priest disagree sharply. Director Alejandro Amenabar does not resort to florid melodrama to tell his story; his narrative choices -- including camera placements, lighting, and the staging of scenes -- are never flamboyant. He doesn't impose emotions through direction but rather encourages the actors to release them, naturally, from the essence of their characters. The result is a uniquely compelling, even haunting, motion picture. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Two of the most talented figures in contemporary Spanish cinema -- actor Javier Bardem and director Alejandro Amenábar -- collaborate for this powerful drama, based on a true story. Ramón Sampedro (Javier Bardem) was a fisherman and part-time poet who, at the age of 26, suffered an accident while diving that left him a bedridden quadriplegic. Now 54, Ramón must depend on his family to survive -- his macho brother José (Celso Bugallo), José's wife, Manuela (Mabel Rivera), and their son, Javi (Tamar Novas). While grateful to his family and friends for their help, Ramón was always an active person, and as the years wore on, he has come to see his life as frustrating and pointless and wishes to die with what remains of his dignity. José, however, is bitterly opposed to the notion of assisted suicide, and Spanish laws would implicate anyone who helped Ramón end his own life, which is something Ramón does not want to do. Through Gené (Carla Segura), a friend who works with a "Right to Die" organization, Ramón is introduced to Julia (Belen Rueda), a lawyer he hopes will help him persuade the courts to let him end his own life. Julia is dealing with her own mortality issues since being diagnosed with a degenerative disease, and Ramón hopes her condition will make her arguments more persuasive. As Ramón and Julia work together on his case and help to prepare a book of his poems for publication, Ramón finds himself falling in love with his attorney, who happens to be married, but while his infatuation gives Julia second thoughts about the case, Ramón remains convinced that the greatest gift to him would be an end to his life. Javier Bardem's performance in The Sea Inside (aka Mar Adentro) earned him the Best Actor award at the 2004 Venice Film Festival. Mark Deming

Product Details

• UPC: 794043784026
• Source: NEW LINE HOME VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound, Dolby Digital Stereo
• Language: Español
• Subtitles: English, Español
• Editions: Subtitled, Dubbed
• Time: 2:05:00
• Sales Rank: 21,742

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