"There's more vodka in this piss than there is piss" - A Bearded Review of 'Gattaca'

Imagine being told you would never amount to anything. What if you were told this every day from birth? Well this is what Vincent Freeman, played by the surprisingly ripped Ethan Hawke, is told numerous times within the opening 10 minutes of the 1997 film Gattaca. This is the 'norm' when giving birth to a 'God-Child', a child born through natural conception, and not the now ever so normal, petri-dish conception that many opt for in order to genetically splice the better parts of themselves into their unborn child.

Andrew Niccol (writer of 'The Truman Show' and writer/director of 'In Time') manages to peak your intrigue within the opening minutes with a seemingly spoiler heavy reveal that Ethan Hawke's character isn't quite who he says he is. We are then thrown into a narrated flashback of the characters upbringing, starting with his birth; where his parents are told he likely wouldn't live past 30 from just a simple test of his blood. This then sets up the general theme for the films premise that everything can be determined via your genetics and everything compiled within your blood can make or break your chances at a 'good life'.

"I belonged to a new underclass, no longer determined by social status or the color of your skin. No, we now have discrimination down to a science." - Vincent

This isn't the only driving factor of the film however, as we are also treated to a 'whodunit' themed murder mystery plot with Detective Hugo (Alan Arkin) searching for a murderer in an unlikely place, Gattaca corp. This is the thorn in Vincents' side, with him being so close to achieving his life long dream, and more than his genetics said he could, by joining a crew heading into Space to travel to Saturn's moon, Titan. Will his real identity be revealed? Is he capable of murder? These are ongoing questions you ask yourself throughout the 1h 48m Sci-Fi/Romance (yes romance) film.

The romantic counterpart, Vincent's colleague, Irene Cassini (Uma Thurman) gives a lighthearted breakaway in this otherwise dark and depressing plot; with supporting actor Jude Law portraying a recently paralyzed Jerome Eugene. With Vincent unable to progress in life due to a lesser DNA, he opts to buy/use Jerome's, therefore posing as someone else in order to gain an advantage over the rest... identity theft anyone? It's the attention to detail surrounding this aspect of the film that's one of the most interesting parts, with a repeatedly nude Ethan Hawke having to perform daily full body skin scrubs and Jude Law giving anything and everything passable from his body such as blood and urine.

"I'll never understand what possessed my mother to put her faith in God's hands, rather than her local geneticist" - Vincent

All these plots intertwine nicely and give an enjoyable viewing experience with some of the better acting I've seen for a film that side of the millennium. Jude Law in particular gives an incredible performance, delving into the mental anguishes a person confined to a wheelchair due to a life altering accident would face and the effects of being unable to achieve what your DNA and society says you otherwise could. The cinematography's also done very well; showing an eerily grey, bleak world with lots of straight edged buildings and the repeat use of glass to give a clear nod to an invisible yet obstructing dived between social classes.

"Don't clean the glass too well... You might get ideas." - Caesar

Overall; the film is well acted, well directed and easily now one of my go to favorites in the sci-fi genre. I would compare it to better known films such as 'Equilibrium' and 'Blade Runner'. Whether you are a sci-fi fan or just want an easy, yet intriguing, film to watch; I recommend you give 'Gattaca' a look regardless of it now being over 20 years old and showing you more of Ethan Hawke's body than you ever thought you wanted to see.

Watch Gattaca - Prime Video

Watch Gattaca - NOWTV

Special thanks to Ryan for picking this up for me for my 30th and opening my mind.

Reggie Review - 7/10