‘Inside’ an affirmation of life

Susanne Perez

“When you can’t escape, and you depend on others, you learn to cry by

smiling,” says Ramon Sampedro, who worked as a mechanic at sea and

traveled around the world twice by the age of 20, only to be rendered

a quadriplegic in a diving accident near his home in Spain.

He does not idly spend his days in self-pity -- he listens to

music, writes poetry with a device of his own making and has a large

circle of friends. Ramon has also been fighting with the government

for more than 30 years over his right to die.

“The Sea Inside” -- Oscar-nominated this year for Best Foreign

Film -- is based on the true story of Sampedro’s life. Thanks to the

direction of Alejandro Amenabar and the profoundly moving performance

of Javier Bardem (inexplicably passed over for an Oscar nod), this is

not a depress- ing film but a affirmation of life. It reminds us of

the thousand myriad, wonderful little things that we take for granted

-- the smell of the ocean, beautiful music, a smile or a touch from

someone who cares about you.

Ramon (Bardem) appreciates all these things, but they also serve

as reminders of what was and never will be in his life. He enlists

the aid of a Death with Dignity group, who lends him moral support

and enlists an attorney, Julia (Belen Rueda), to take on his case.

Julia, like others before her, tries to convince him that life is

worth living. Ramon argues his convictions with wit and patience: He

does not mean that others should share his point of view -- indeed,

his brother is vehemently opposed to it. But Ramon believes that

those who truly love him will help him.

Whatever your views may be on this subject, you cannot help but be

moved by this story of the human condition. Bardem, a ruggedly

handsome man of 35, spent four hours a day in makeup to convincingly

play a 55-year-old. But it is in the way he uses his body, voice and

eyes that gives us a haunting portrait of a man unwilling to

compromise on his definition of “quality of life.”

* SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant

for a financial services company.