Gattaca

Synopsis

Set in the 21st century, Gattaca gives one perspective of what the future of discrimination is to become: DNA. “No longer determined by social status or the color of your skin, no, we now have discrimination down to a science.” Gattaca is similar to our current NASA, a space agency in the future that is only open to those with the “right things.” Children, for those who can afford it, are now created by DNA manipulation, called “valids.” You can essentially buy whatever traits you would like for your baby.

Vincent was conceived as a “natural birth” because his parents wanted it that way, but their next child, Anton, was a valid. Vincent’s dream had always been to go to Gattaca. However, his DNA had already been analyzed by Gattaca and been determined to be “in-valid.” The act of discriminating based on someone’s DNA is called genoism. Vincent is of course rejected from Gattaca and has to result to becoming a janitor. However, he never loses his dream of going to in to space, and thus takes steps several others have to obtain his goal.

Vincent decides to become a “de-generate,” or a “borrowed ladder” with the help of a DNA Broker. A DNA Broker finds valids that for one reason or another decide to not take part in the social world, and allow an in-valid to take over their genetic identity. Vincent’s DNA Broker determines that Jerome Eugene Morrow is a good candidate. The only problem is that Jerome is over an inch taller than Vincent. A radical surgery ensues. In the end, with the use of finger-masks (silicone fingerprints filled with valid blood), urine pouches, blood pouches, and contact lenses, Vincent immediately is hired by Gattaca. In addition to these measures, he must remove all in-valid material, such as loose skin, from his body as possible everyday.

Everything goes well until the mission-director at Gattaca is murdered, who also happens to be the only one who had come close to discovering Vincent’s true identity. The irony is that Vincent must be even more careful now because law enforcement is all over the place. To add a twist, the lead investigator happens to be Anton, Vincent’s valid brother. The interesting thing is that Anton, who in childhood was always negative towards his brother, seemed to be trying to prevent the discovery of Vincent during the investigation.

The savior for Vincent turns out to be Gattaca’s physician who has known since the beginning that Vincent was an in-valid, but was sympathetic because his own son was a natural birth, so he tricked the computers into thinking Vincent was a valid.

Description of Biology Presented

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