Director Alejandro Amenábar must have a thing for death.

He is well-versed in the thriller genre, having written and directed such films as "Tesis," about a young student's research on the human obsession with death and violence; "Abre los ojos," loosely based on Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" (later remade by Cameron Crowe as "Vanilla Sky"); and "The Others," a psychological ghost story and his first English-language film.

It might seem as no surprise, then, that Amenábar's latest film, "The Sea Inside," follows a man's lifelong quest for death.

Except this is a different kind of film for Amenábar - and certainly no thriller.

"The Sea Inside" tells the real-life story of Spaniard Ramón Sampedro, a former ship mechanic who was paralyzed from the neck down after a diving accident and confined to a bed in his brother's home for 28 years.

We are introduced to Sampedro at age 55, surrounded by a host of loving relatives: His father, Joaquín, sister-in-law, Manuela, his brother, José and nephew, Javi. Sampedro must depend on someone to help him with tasks most able-bodied people take for granted: Eating, writing, turning on the radio or holding someone's hand - an act he once described as an "impossible journey."

Although cared for by such a devoted family, Sampedro, played by Spanish actor Javier Bardem, wants nothing more than to die, and to "die with dignity."

His fight with Spanish authorities to grant him this right marks the center of this story, complete with a blossoming friendship with beautiful lawyer Julia, played by Spanish TV star Belén Rueda, who has her own degenerative disease.

Bardem, 35, should be honored for his portrayal of Sampedro, appearing to age 20 years for the role and acting only from the neck up the entire film, save the occasional daydream sequence.

Most shots of the actor contain his face only, which would have been Sampedro's only outlet for physical expression.

While watching Sampedro, you can't help but want him to live, even when you hope he gets his wish for death.

Sampedro's smile, almost permanent, greets every visitor, and his life appears beautiful despite his condition. Interestingly, his temper is only revealed when someone tells him life is worth living.

The only flaw to this film, due to the heavy focus on Sampedro's euthanasia campaign, is that most of the people best known to Sampedro lack deep characterization.

Manuela, his primary caregiver, comes off with only one or two great scenes and otherwise disappears from the film completely.

Ultimately, Amenábar comes off with a story that is neither preachy nor heartbreaking, and ironically, leaves the viewer feeling hopeful about life.