So at the beginning we see a young man Jerome Morrow who is about to launch into open space. But soon we learn that the young man is not the one whose name he bears. It happens that his real name is Vincent Freeman who dreamed to go into space since his childhood. One problem though hindered him: he had some health problem (a weak heart and myopia) that did not exactly qualify him for this kind of career. At the time shown organizations take samples from bodies and these samples became an identity test. The event takes place in “not so far future” where people are discriminated not by social status but deep to the science, genetic pattern. So on the first sight Vincent had a shadow of a chance.

However it did not stop him from pursuing his dream. He studies star navigation and goes in for sport. The blood is still the same. So Vincent decides to come to extreme measures that are not quite legal but who can resist if it is something that will bring you closer to the stars? So he finds another young man whose name is Jerome Morrow and makes a pact with him: Jerome lends him the samples of his body (like blood and urine) while Vincent pays for the house and other expenses. It works. Vincent takes the identity of Jerome Morrow, gets work in space institution Gattaca and is chosen to go to a space expedition. The thing is complicated that right before an expedition the director is murdered and a detective investigation begins. They found an eyelash of Vincent and he is on the edge of being discovered. By the time he is discovered by some people it already does not matter.

The idea is in no way original, of course, the controversy between genetically perfect and imperfect. But the film concentrates rather on the power of wish and will, it develops the theme of friendship and doom, shows the possibilities of human spirit. And since it is done in science fiction genre the approach is justified. The situation is hardly possible in reality but there is a small chance, why not? The film is interesting for its characters. The story itself is composed as to show how Vincent decided to go to space, got into Gattaca and tried to keep his identification. The relationships between Vincent and Jerome and Vincent and Irene are psychologically fine and interesting.

The actors in this film are very good, not in the peak of their careers. Ethan Hawke is very good, Uma Thurman is peculiar in this role. Jude Law is marvellous as a handicapped youth, genetically perfect but suffering from his own perfection who gradually became inspired by Vincent's dream…

The prevailing element is its strange atmosphere, calm, optimistic and sometimes a little bit melancholic. It's possible that you won't find anything in it so it's hard to recommend it. It has nothing extraordinary but just a very nice film that one might like to see.

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