In the future a person’s worth and ability is measured by their genetics. With scientific breakthroughs babies are now basically genetically engineered. Children born naturally are generally more inclined to have defects and are at risk for health issues that can either be eliminated or drastically reduced with gene manipulation. Naturally born children are called in-valids and, although it is technically illegal, are often subject to discrimination. Those that are genetically manipulated are called “valids” and are given opportunities in life that are not available to in-valids. In-valids are considered to be less intelligent and of weaker stature.
Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) is one of those who were born naturally. Vincent’s parents, Antonio (Elias Koteas) and Marie (Jayne Brook), come to regret their decision to have a natural baby when they learn that Vincent may experience several potential health risks that could shorten his life. The geneticists predict that his life span is 30.2 years. The Freemans decide to genetically create their second child, Anton (Loren Dean). Growing up the boys often compete in various games and sports. Vincent is always the loser due to his weak heart. Vincent’s dream is to go to space; however, the hardships of space travel prevent him from ever being considered, not to mention the fact that he is an in-valid.
Vincent leaves home to reinvent himself. He gets a job working for the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation as a cleaner. He contacts an underworld figure named German (Tony Shalhoub) to remake him. German brings in Jerome Eugene Morrow (Jude Law), a former swimming champion who ended up paralyzed from the waist down. Jerome has fallen on hard times and needs the money. Through a combination of methods Vincent uses Jerome’s DNA to assume Jerome’s identity. Vincent then starts working for Gattaca as Jerome, is accepted into the space program and is scheduled to go to Titan, one of Saturn’s moons, in a week.
When the administrator of the mission is murdered the police are brought in. One of Vincent’s unaltered eyelashes is found near the scene. The eyelash identifies the owner only as an “unregistered”. Vincent must now dodge the police in his pursuit of his dream, but his past is also gaining on him and someone from his former life could be the instrument of his destruction.
“Gattaca” was released in 1997 and was written and directed by Andrew Niccol. It is an American science fiction dystopian thriller. Critics loved it but the box office didn’t. It has since become one of the most thought-provoking science fiction films of the nineties and has garnered a place in science fiction history.
The title "Gattaca" comes from the letters used to identify the four DNA bases: Guanine, Adenine, Thymine, and Cytosine. Discrimination in the future is shown as an obsession with genetic perfection and is sometimes referred to as unnatural selection. Much of the language used in the company announcements at the Gattaca Corporation is Esperanto. The computer ID photo of Jerome is a digitally created blend of both Ethan Hawke’s and Jude Law’s faces morphed together.
Uma Thurman, who plays Irene, Vincent's love interest in the film, and Ethan Hawke began seeing each other during film production. The married in 1998 and had two children. They divorced in 2005.