Hollywood movies are always criticized for being simplistic, manipulative. This film is all that wrapped in a European package. The film is really a 2 hour pro euthanasia advertisement. It is not at all a bad film, it is well acted and has some truly great cinematography, but it has an agenda. It wants to present only one side of the euthanasia debate. it is about Ramon Sampedro a Galician that was fighting for his right to die in Spain. He was left a quadriplegic, leaving him immobile for almost 30 years. The film wants us to identify with him, he wants to die because he has no quality of life, he is imprisoned and wants to be free. Ones opinion of this film can depend on ones feelings on the touchy subject that it portrays. I personally haven't completely decided where I stand on the subject, so I went in thinking that the film would present the situation and let the audience decide. It does not, it presents the situation in such a way that I felt that I was being beat on the head. It is disappointing because the performances are good, especially Javier Bardem who plays Sampedro. The film wants so much to canonize this man that it seems that he isn't human. He treats people badly, he seems to know more about everything because of his affliction. Where the film goes totally wrong for me is in is portrayal of the other side of the issue. Sampedro's brother, who is against his wish to die is presented as an idiot, an authoritarian, funny thing is that his wife and son take care of Sampedro. There is also a scene in where a priest who is also paralyzed, wants to talk to Sampedro, the film treats this scene as comedy, it really felt insulting that the film would disregard someone that is in a similar situation to Sampedro's with such disdain because he chooses to live. One might argue that the film is about one man, but no, this film wants to make a statement from beginning to end, it is NOT objective.
It may seem that I hated the film. I didn't, it is well acted and does have touching moments, but I felt so manipulated into being pro euthanasia that I was mad at the end. What had the makings of an intelligent treatment of a very difficult subject, comes off as heavy handed one sided soap opera. Still it is worth seeing, because of the performance by Bardem.
Grade: C+
It may seem that I hated the film. I didn't, it is well acted and does have touching moments, but I felt so manipulated into being pro euthanasia that I was mad at the end. What had the makings of an intelligent treatment of a very difficult subject, comes off as heavy handed one sided soap opera. Still it is worth seeing, because of the performance by Bardem.
Grade: C+