PREMIERE.COM'S REVIEW (posted 12/15/04)


"Whenever it is a damp drizzly November in my soul," says Ishmael, "I account it high time to get to sea . . ." That first chapter of Moby-Dick shows a sailor’s addiction to moving on water. There’s someone like that in The Sea Inside, but he can’t get to sea. He can’t even get out of bed.

This is the mostly true story of Ramón Sampedro, a quadriplegic who famously fought the Spanish government for the right to end his life. As Ramón, Javier Bardem breaks hearts. It’s not that he’s playing a paralyzed man 20 years older than himself. It’s the gentle, hearty soul he inhabits. Somehow, in this quiet portrayal—which takes place almost entirely in bed—we sense the vigorous sailor Ramón once was. When asked why a man who wants to die could seem so peaceful, he replies that he’s learned "to cry with a smile." 

The Sea Inside might have wound up a pushy "issue picture." Instead, it’s full of grace. Those helping Ramón build his case for euthanasia are touched by his life as he touches theirs. In a Hollywood arc, this would be the setup for Ramon to reconsider his goal (It’s a Wonderful Life), but here, he doesn’t. There’s something confounding about falling for a protagonist whose only aim is to make the story we’re enjoying end. We feel as torn over Ramón’s death wish as his family does.

Fine Line suggests this is a feel-good movie. Thankfully, it’s more. Ramón, who was paralyzed in a diving accident, still loves the sea, but says, "It gave me life, then took it away." And in the way that water can heal and harm, this film balances moments of dreamy spirituality with the salty harshness of family disputes. It’s a deep and diverse world, and well worth the journey.

—Kevin Allison