Isangeles was nice enough to let me share one of my five-star picks this week. I'm going to take this opportunity to go with an unexpected choice. You see, on my list of five star flicks, 95% are comedies. But this week's selection is no laughing matter. It warns of the dangers of genetic engineering and prejudice, highlights the resilience of the human spirit, and it put a future People's "sexiest man of the year" on the map.
In the not-too-distant future and Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) dreams of a career in space travel. Trouble is that Vincent is one of the last "natural" babies in a world where genetic engineering reigns supreme. Such "inferior" humans are destined for menial jobs in a society that discriminates against genes rather than race or religion. Born with a heart condition, Vincent would have no chance at any meaningful career, let alone one in an exciting field like space travel.
Rather than accepting life in the underclass, Vincent goes rogue, assuming the identity of Jerome Morrow, a depressed paraplegic (but perfect genetic specimen) played by Jude Law. Using Morrow's DNA samples to pass blood, urine, and other genetic tests, Vincent rises to prominence in Gattaca Corporation and is selected for a mission to Saturn. Everything is going swimmingly until a colleague is killed and the police find one of Vincent's eyelashes at the scene. Convinced that there is an invalid killer on the loose within Gattaca, police launch a huge investigation. With the launch date in sight, Vincent must avoid the police and protect his secret identity before his dreams come crumbling down.
The acting is superb, the suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat, and you can't help but root for Vincent to overcome the odds and prove the genetic engineers wrong about his abilities. The movie has similar tones to Brave New World, but with a more interesting plot. Check it out.
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