The Sea Inside is a near flawless film. A subtle, yet intensely poignant study of the human condition under the microscope of the simple premise - should individuals unable to affect their own suicide, have the right to have their lives terminated of their own volition? A question that was addressed 15 years ago in an equally compelling film - Whose Life Is It Anyway?

The always brilliant Javier Bardem anchors the film as Ramon Sanpedro, a man who has lived 26 years as a quadriplegic, and though universally beloved, lives a completely dependent life under the care of his family - primarily his brother's wife Manuela (Mabel Rivera). The film begins as Ramon's desire to be released from his undignified life of dependence, becomes a political issue. The Spanish government has for years denied his repeated petitions for euthanasia, and Ramon has enlisted the assistance of a group called Death with Dignity who champion the Kevorkian practice of assisted suicide.

Enter Julia (Belen Rueda) a lawyer Ramon has hand-picked because of her own debilitating illness that he hopes will make her all the more sympathetic to his cause. Like everyone else in Ramon's sphere of influence, Julia soon finds herself a captive of his charm and a most fascinating "fatal attraction" if you will, begins to evolve between them. During the course of their acquaintance, Manuela allows Julia to read the volumes of poetry and prose that Ramon has amassed over the years and it is soon decided that before anyone is going to be assisted in any dying that his writings must be published.

Like all of the emotional aspects of the film, the relationship between Ramon and Julia is allowed to develop naturally and it is a truly touching thing to witness. The Sea Inside packs a gut-wrenching emotional wallop, but ever so seldom stoops to easy sentimentality, rather the deep connection you feel with these characters unfolds at the most gracefully measured pace - taking root gradually in the heart of each individual viewer. Rarely does a film so beautifully capture that most mercurial of all human concepts, LOVE, with such unaffected perfection.

As a lovely counterpoint to the relationship between Ramon and Julia is the introduction of a local single mother - a blue collar worker Rosa (Lola Duenas) who moonlights as a disc jockey. Though she is initially drawn to Ramon as someone she can use as fodder for her radio show - she too is drawn to Ramon's plight and like everyone in his life is sympathetic to his suicidal crusade, but becomes too emotionally attached to want to live in a world without him.

Most amazingly for me I have to confess is that I have a terrible aversion to subtitled films. I don't like reading movies, and I don't like how much it limits you from watching the acting. Credit Alejandro Amenabar (The Others) whose writing and directing is beyond superb, not only making the dialogue a pleasure to read, but drawing fabulous performances from all involved. Though I'm loathe to give up any more information about the plot, the powerfully subtle performance by Bardem is the best thing about what has to be considered among the top five films in a year that gave us at least a dozen masterpieces. The Sea Inside is an absolutely gorgeous piece of film making.