Gattaca
DOWN &
DIRTY:
Sci-Fi: A genetically inferior
man poses as a perfect human
being in a future where a
person's genetic makeup
determines their social class and
future.
NITTY GRITTY:
In the not so distant future,
people can choose the genetic
makeup of their children, thus
eliminating "inferior"
traits such as nearsightedness,
baldness and other
"undesirable" natural
features.
Children conceived the
old-fashioned way are at a
disadvantage right from birth,
and are labeled
"invalid" due to their
imperfections.
Young Vincent Freeman is such a
boy. Nearsighted and tested to
have other deficiencies such as a
weak heart from which he'll die
by the age of thirty, Vincent's
future has already been
determined -- he'll be a lower
class citizen.
His younger brother Anton ,
however, is genetically perfect,
and continually out performs his
brother at nearly everything.
As an adult, Vincent (Ethan
Hawke) is a janitor and dreams of
working for the Gattaca
corporation, a company involved
in space exploration. Due to his
genetic makeup, however, Vincent
will never travel into space.
That is, of course, unless he can
change his genes, and he does the
next best thing.
With the help of a DNA broker,
Vincent assumes the identity of
Jerome Eugene Morrow (JUDE LAW),
a now paralyzed, but still
genetically perfect man.
Eugene, as he now calls himself,
is willing to give blood and
other genetic samples to Vincent
in exchange for money.
This allows Vincent to pass the
many I.D. tests and become the
old Jerome. Everything works
perfectly, even though Vincent
must perform a daily regimen of
scrubbing his body to remove
excess cells and hairs.
Vincent becomes a Gattaca flight
navigator, where he works
alongside beautiful coworker
Irene (UMA THURMAN).
When the agency's director is
murdered, Vincent's plan is
endangered. Detective Hugo (ALAN
ARKIN) and his boss, the
Investigator (LOREN DEAN) begin
looking for the suspect's genetic
clues.
They find an
"invalid's" eyelash at
the murder scene and things begin
to fall apart for Vincent.
As the countdown continues for
his planned Jupiter space
mission, Vincent must do what he
can to prove he's not the killer
while also concealing his true
identity.
THE ENDING:
The Investigator confronts
Vincent about his genetic makeup
and turns out to be Vincent's
long lost brother, Anton. They
replay a swimming challenge from
their youth and this time Vincent
wins. Anton lets Vincent go.
Director Josef (Gore Vidal)is
found to be the murderer of the
agency director. Vincent and
Irene make love after he
confesses his true identity to
her. Eugene incinerates himself
as Vincent boards the flight to
Jupiter.
WHAT EVERYONE WILL BE
TALKING ABOUT:
The future looks real
creepy.
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