Ramon Sampedro (Javier Bardem) was a man who had his whole life in front of him until a freak accident transformed him into a bed ridden quadriplegic whose lasting wish is to die with dignity. So begins a true story of an exceptional individual whose mission in life is thwarted and aided at various turns in The Sea Inside.
After nearly three decades of living as a physically inept victim of a diving accident, Ramon meets a lawyer who he hopes will help him win a court judgment to allow him death. His only stipulation is that the lawyer be afflicted with a degenerative condition if only to understand his similar plight. The lawyer, Julia (Belen Rueda), is physically crippled, but that does not prevent her from trying to help Ramon. In fact, the married lawyer comes to know her client as an intelligent, witty soul whose only misfortune is his lame body. She grows to love him through conversation and his poetry which will figure prominently as time progresses. At the same time, a local, single mother, Rosa (Lola Duenas), is attracted to Ramon from watching his television interviews. The two women have their own affections for Ramon, and through him, they are enlightened and rediscover their own purpose and feelings. This is a man who wishes to die, but he is clearly in full control of his mental faculties. Ramon has been nursed for years by his brother, sister-in law, and nephew. This is a family that loves and cares for their helpless kin and is torn by the notion that he wants to end his life. As court battles are appealed to the highest level, Ramon must decide if he is to take matters in his own hands and with the help of loved ones.
Director Alejandro Amenabar (The Others) has tackled a story that could have been utterly depressing and claustrophobic in its setting, but, instead, has depicted a compassionate study in dignity and truth. The difficulties in dealing with a controversial subject like euthanasia are dealt with in a well written script by Amenabar and Mateo Gil. In fact, the screenplay addresses the subject by contrasting Ramon’s choice as being his individual right even though he does not begrudge others in similar conditions who wish to live. He does not judge them just as they should not judge him. He even has his own means of escaping his empty existence by living out fantasies that carry him by flight to the beach where his life changed forever. It is the sea that begins and ends the film appropriately enough. The sea took away his life, and it is the sea into which he retreats. In these dreams of fancy, he can walk and even romance an unafflicted Julia. Reality and fantasy meld in ethereal imagery. It is fascinating throughout the film to observe the contrast of his middle aged form with his former, strikingly handsome, younger man. The film utilizes flashback cuts to great effect as it connects these moments. One instant, he is dreaming and the next he is drowning.
Javier Bardem (Before Night Falls, Collateral) is proving to be a chameleon of an actor as he is utterly convincing in his portrayal even in mimicking the warped physical state of Ramon’s body and its gnarled limbs. In any other year, he would rate an Oscar nomination. In fact a case could easily be made in a year deep with great male lead performances that an alternate list of nominees could have included Bardem, Kevin Spacey, Kevin Bacon, Paul Giamatti, and Liam Neeson. As his two female admirers, actresses Rueda and Duenas are quite good.
Although the film can never quite escape the limited theatrical nature of the plot, it does a good job of opening up the scenery and allowing its characters to grow. One may wish to learn more about Julia’s relationship with her husband, and perhaps a little more background on Ramon’s brother would have filled out the story better. There is also the feeling of inevitability given the story’s premise.
Audiences may not agree with the movie’s themes, but the film certainly earns a good deal of respect for its point of view. While some may be turned off, those who are curious about the subject matter or want to understand more about this real life person will find this to be a good character study about a man of conviction and the love that surrounded him. The Sea Inside is in Spanish with English subtitles.
*** of **** stars
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