The Sea Inside

2004 | 125 min. | Director: Alejandro Amenábar | TV14
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.

adele

This what such a touching and strong and thoughtful movie. And I only caught the last 35 min. of it.
I have lived in Oregon USA my whole life and feel the same way that most natives Oregonians feel... That there is a definitely a right to die with dignity.
My hubby and I have been taking in dog and cat hospice 'friends' for over 10 yrs now and it is so hard to determine when the time comes, if at all, to help these furry kids along their way to where there is a place that their other furry friends and their humans among those blessed ones that we do not know are waiting for them.
For us humans to have a voice stating what we are in need of is wonderful. We can voice our opinion and talk about our thoughts and fears and hopes. But for animals....well, they speak in many ways other than words that humans are incapable of hearing. (But some of us do) ~wink~
Anyway....it is a wonderful movie and I would schedule my day around being able to see it again.
Take good care,
adele