Gattaca (1997)

Gattaca (1997) – In a world where genetics is the “credential” to success, a man finds a way to game the system.

Directed by Andrew Niccol                                      Starring Ethan Hawke, Jude Law, Uma Thurman

Why I Liked It – Hmmm, let me get back to you…

A couple weeks after I watched this movie, someone asked me what it was about.

I couldn’t remember.

That’s not good.

Oh wait, it’s the one about the world where your status is determined by your genetics!  Where Jude Law’s character “sells” his genetic identity to a genetically “inferior” Ethan Hawke, so Hawke’s character can be an astronaut.  Yeah, that one…

A society that constructs a complex web of genetic safeguards to maintain its exclusionary status quo gets conned by bags of urine strapped to a leg, fake fingerprints, and really thorough showers.  It’s just a lame story, filled with holes and illogical bits.

The concept of a society built on artificial standards of discrimination is never challenged, except that it is an obstacle to one character living his dreams.  Hawke’s Vincent isn’t interested in tearing down such a system, just circumventing it enough so he can do what he wants. Jude Law plays the bitter, child of entitlement who offers up an unconvincing change of heart toward the end.  Uma Thurman, well, is just sort of…there.  I’ve never been a big fan of hers, and this did nothing to change my mind.

It’s a weak plot, three better than average actors walking through their roles.  The whole thing ends up feeling superficial, without any emotional depth to it at all.  None of the characters gave me any reason to care about them.  Law’s Jerome is bitter and filled with self-pity.  Hawke’s character is so caught up in his own desires that he never considers that sending someone to Saturn with a serious health issue might jeopardize the whole crew.  And Thurman didn’t offer up much interesting at all.  No fire, no emotion.  The whole thing was underwhelming.

And the ending?  I don’t remember the ending.  And that doesn’t bother me at all.

Rating – ** Not Impressed