There is no gene for fate (Gattaca (DVD))

Member Name: Xamis

Product:	Gattaca (DVD)
Date:	21/01/01 (439 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Engaging story line, well made, good music, an issue relevant to modern society for us all to consider

Disadvantages: Slow in places, not much sex or violence (only bad if you look for those things in a film)

This film, largely the project of one man, writer and director Andrew Niccol, is a slow-paced but enthralling story exploring a very plausible near future. Vincent, our hero, is one of the tiny minority of children born in this era not genetically modified in any way. He was conceived "traditionally", in a not unattractive car, and born without any natural susceptibilities removed. His brother Anton, customised by a local geneticist, was deemed worthy of his father's name and always performed better than Vincent. But, like the heroes of so many human-interest stories, Vincent had a dream. This dream and the determination to overcome his society's stereotyping propelled him to greatness.

As always, it was not an easy transition. Vincent left home, depressed at the discrimination that was reinforced even by his family. He worked as a cleaner, the only real job someone of his status could get. His "status" was classed by most as a utero, or In-Valid, the buzz phrase for a natural-born. It was this work that brought him to Gattaca, the control centre for the eponymous project into space exploration. In his spare time he exercised and studied, becoming the perfect candidate for a navigator on a space mission. Perfect, that is, apart from one thing - his genetic identity.

Undeterred, he looked for a way to overcome his genetic disposition to failure. He meets an agent representing Jerome Morrow, an ex-swimming champion who broke his back in an accident in his home country of England. Without any way to make money, all the genetic modification that created the would-be world champion meant nothing. So he provided Vincent with blood, urine and hair samples to allow him to become Jerome. They lived together whilst Vincent underwent the physical alterations to make him fit Jerome's profile. Vincent became Jerome, and Jerome took his middle name of Eugene. The two of them lived together, the new Jerome paying the keep for the b
oth of them.

Jerome (aka Vincent) sailed through his interview - a urine sample - and fulfilled his dream of becoming a navigator. It was at a cost, however. Every day he had to scrub off as much loose skin as possible, and attach new fingertips with blood samples of the real Jerome. His dream was only a week away when a murder drew new attention to him and the Gattaca project. He was dogged by two investigators brought in to solve the case of the murdered mission director. Jerome had to be more careful than ever, because even the smallest mistake could leave a genetic marker linking his real identity back to the new life he had made for himself. In the middle of all this he started to pursue Irene, a female worker at Gattaca who has the same heart condition he had covered up in himself.

The rest of the film follows the two Jeromes trying to keep their crime hidden whilst Vincent/Jerome develops his relationship with Irene and get away into space. Without spoiling the ending, Vincent has to face a detective arriving at the home the Jeromes share and a dramatic reunion with his brother, all in the last few days before his flight is due to leave.

The film's slow pace is useful because it allows the audience time to consider the sociological concerns the piece raises. The issues of gene mapping, designer babies and discrimination are all assessed without much pretence. The voice over, spoken by Vincent himself, details the problems he has faced throughout his life. By living within the system as a Valid, Vincent sees first hand the way people view and treat In-Valids. It is undoubtedly a feel-good film - despite the threat of being discovered we are encouraged to feel proud of Vincent for succeeding as Jerome as well as being mentally spectacular. Vincent is someone easy to identify with, and the moral is not wrapped up at all, making it easy for any watcher to understand and sympathise with the situation.

It is, however, a good
feel-good film, containing all the features one would expect from the story: entirely competent acting, a dramatic and emotional classical soundtrack and some stunning visuals. The use of film is particularly effective, with some odd green tinting adding to the technological vision of the future. The editing is never particularly self-conscious, which helps us feel a part of the film. Only once in the entire film is there an odd shot, which I think was some attempt to add originality to the films only sex scene that went confusingly wrong.

After watching the film a second time, without my friends distracting me, it is interesting to see the contrast in Vincent's views of the world from the beginning of the film through to the end. At the beginning we see the nursery that would not take him, the doctor who implied he was sub-standard and the employers who would not take him because of the result of illegal genetic testing. By the end of the film, however, everything has changed. His brother, once secure in the knowledge that he was better than Vincent, has now turned out to be little in comparison with the famous career Vincent has made for himself. Irene has rejected the scanning of potential mates to judge their genetic suitability. The doctor responsible for the firm's DNA testing has been covering for him all along and does so again to protect him one last time, actively changing the result rather than ignoring anomalies. The human spirit referred to by the filmmakers is not Vincent's alone, it is shared by many individuals, but not many corporations. These views highlight all that is bad about the discrimination corporations happily embrace in order to turn out the largest profit, whilst at the same time reinforcing the freedom of the individual to prove he can make a life for himself.

A couple of items of interesting trivia for you - the film's title Gattaca contains only the letters G, T, C and A, the four letters used to den
ote DNA. Danny DeVito, the short-arse actor extrodinaire, helped to produce the film. Its own tagline of "There is no gene for the human spirit" sums it up pretty well. Perhaps it is not a film for the conservative, although I sadly doubt that they would even notice the embodiment of the society they strive to create. Although it is rather traditional in moral and approach, it is very well made and a film I would suggest everyone should see.

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