Movie Review
|
|
This Week's PCR Movie Review |
|
 |
"The Sea Inside"
Movie review by: Movies are rated 0 to 4 stars
| |||
| LA FLORIDIANA A Case of Microwave Mayhem or Misinformation in Northwest Florida? Part 1 of 2 by William Moriaty | ||
| THIS WEEK'S MOVIE REVIEW "The Sea Inside" by Mike Smith | ||
| ODDSERVATIONS "Filthy" and other Indie Filmmakers at MegaCon - Booth #721....Back, and Better Than Ever....Dr. Paul Bearer - 10 Year Oddservance by Andy Lalino | ||
| SPLASH PAGE Miracle Turns 25....Oscar Predictions and Comments....Fear and Loathing No More....Speaking of Drugs....On To MegaCon by Brandon Jones | ||
| CREATURE'S CORNER Constantine....Comics: Tom Strong by John Lewis | ||
| MATT'S RAIL The 100,000 Club....Masters of Horror Back on Track....Rondo Winners Announced....Oscar Picks by Matt Drinnenberg | ||
| MIKE'S RANT Attention Must Be Paid....Also Moving On....Last Hint....Next Week....Jaws: The Story, Part 7 by Mike Smith | ||
| Archives of Nolan's Pop Culture Review | ||
| Archives 2005 Archives 2004 Archives 2003 Archives 2002 Archives 2001 Archives 2000 Email PCR |
Home |
With the Academy Awards coming up this Sunday, the film I predict will win the Best Foreign Language Film award is going into wider release. And a great film it is.
The Sea Inside is based on the true story of Ramon Sampedro (Bardem). Injured as a young man in a diving accident and left a quadriplegic, Sampedro made headlines when he requested permission from the Spanish government to end his own life. As his request is slowly made public, he finds himself surrounded by a small circle of friends determined to help him change his mind. He is asked by one why, even in his condition, he is always smiling. He explains that when you have to depend on others for everything you learn to even cry with a smile. Though he feels his life leaves him with "no dignity," Ramon finds pleasure in his dreams. Though he was injured in a dive, his visions are often filled with the romance and joy he found on the beach. In his mind he can still feel the sand under his feet and the water splashing on his skin. As he sees his fight with the government not going as he hoped, he finds a special peace in his dreams that ultimately help him make his final decision.
A film with such a tragic victim at its center is often over-dramatic in its telling. That is not the case here. And the credit must go to director Amenabar and star Bardem. Amenabar's camera moves with a grace and beauty that only complements the dreams Ramon experiences. He is able to pull heartfelt, but genuine, performances from the entire cast. The standout in the cast here is Bardem. His matinee idol looks almost completely stripped away, having only his voice and face to convey his thoughts, Bardem turns in a performance that, in any other year, surely would have garnered a Best Actor nomination. That Bardem, like "Sideways'" Paul Giamatti, didn't make the short list is a testament to the great performances turned in this year.
The Sea Inside is a film that takes you on an emotional ride that rises and falls like the ocean's wave. On a scale of zero to four stars, I give The Sea Inside
This week's movie review of "The Sea Inside" is ©2005 by Michael A. Smith. All graphics this page are creations of Nolan B. Canova, ©2005, all rights reserved. All contents of "Nolan's Pop Culture Review" are ©2005 by Nolan B. Canova.
