The movie Gattaca starts with the birth of Vincent Anton Freeman whose genetics show him to be prone to many disorders. He is given an estimated life span of just above thirty years to live. Vincent’s parents then decide to use genetic selection to give birth to another child whom they name Anton. As boys, Anton and Vincent play “chicken. ” They swim until one of them gives up and loses. Vincent never wins. His dream is to go up in space, but as an in-valid (not genetically selected) he does not stand a chance. One day when Vincent and Anton are older, Anton and Vincent play “chicken” once more.
However, this time Vincent does not lose, but rescues Anton who begins to drown. After this, Vincent decides to leave home. He as an invalid gets a job as a janitor. He works in Gattaca a space company. Vincent is then given the opportunity to pretend he is Jerome Morrow: a valid with exceptional genetic makeup that will guarantee him a spot in a Gattaca space mission to Saturn’s moon Titan. The real Jerome (who is called Eugene) makes Jerome (Vincent) samples of blood, urine, etc. and Jerome is required to scrub his hair off his body every day.
Eugene is paralyzed and in a wheelchair (that is why he cannot go in space). One week before takeoff to Titan, the mission administrator is murdered. An eyelash of the invalid Vincent Freeman is found at the scene of the crime. Jerome is scared he will be found out. Jerome gets very close to Irene whom he works with during this time of his life. Like the “real” Vincent she is prone to heart failure. Jerome has to be very careful and is almost found out a few times. Jerome knows his brother Anton is one of the investigators of the murder.
Sure that his brother is impersonating Jerome Morrow, he tells Irene to take him to where Jerome lives. Jerome tells Eugene to pretend he is “Jerome” for a day. He loses the wheelchair and Anton shows up to take a blood sample from Eugene. Anton is disappointed that the blood shown is of Jerome. However, he is given a call that the murderer was found. Irene is angry at Jerome. She says she does not know who he is anymore after witnessing both “Jerome’s” next to each other. He then tells her that the real him “Vincent” also has a heart disorder.
It turns out that the mission director had murdered the administrator because he had threatened to stop the mission to Titan. Vincent knows that Anton will want to see him so he goes to him. Anton tells him that what he is doing is illegal and should not have and does not deserve his position. Vincent accuses Anton of always thinking he was not good enough because of his genetic identity. Anton the challenges Vincent to a game of “chicken” which Anton begins to drown again. Anton is surprised at Vincent’s strength. Vincent and Irene also patch things up between each other.
Jerome (Vincent) gets ready to go in space and says good bye and thank you to Eugene, who shows him two lifetimes worth of samples for him to live as Jerome and gives him a letter. Before getting on the flight, Jerome does not expect any security checks. His urine shows his to be Vincent, but the Doctor knew the whole time that he had been pretending. The Doctor says he dreams his son who is an invalid, could do what Vincent has achieved and lets him on the rocket. Vincent opens the letter from Eugene to find a lock of Eugene’s hair. Eugene goes into the incinerator and burns himself with his swimming medal.
I really liked the movie. It kept me in suspense and wondering what would happen next. It also made me question if in the future genetic testing would be a good thing to do. A lot of people could be convicted and condemned for crimes they did not commit, just like Vincent almost was. Overall, I enjoyed the movie and would recommend it to others. It also taught that it does not matter if you have a disability or disorder you can still accomplish your goals. Vincent may have been susceptible to heart disorder, but that did not refrain him from going to space.
