MovieChat Forums > GATTACA (1997) Discussion > If Gattaca was a terrible discriminating...

If Gattaca was a terrible discriminating Dystopia.....


Then how did Alan Arkin’s(Detective Hugo) and Gore Vidal’s(Director Josef) characters get the kind of jobs only Valid’s would get? They were clearly born way before the eugenics technology was available. Shouldn’t they have been Invalids?

It was implied that the world of Gattaca was so terrible that the only jobs invalids like Vincent could get were cleaning toilets. But the existence of two invalids in such high posts shatters the theory that invalids couldn’t get anywhere.

reply

Then how did Alan Arkin’s(Detective Hugo) and Gore Vidal’s(Director Josef) characters get the kind of jobs only Valid’s would get? They were clearly born way before the eugenics technology was available. Shouldn’t they have been Invalids?

Detective Hugo (in a deleted scene) admits that "[he is likely] only detective second class" because he is an in-valid.

As for Director Josef, there is very little information regarding his status throughout the film. The only piece of information available is listed on Gattaca's wikipedia, which lists him as being a valid. This makes sense, as he holds the highest post possible in the film, commanding valids into space.

With this in mind, there is another theme to consider. As it unlikely that Director Josef's genetic profile yields him to a predisposition toward violence, the fact that he was able to commit such an act despite his engineering indicates that one can act beyond their genetic limitations.

While Vincent is able to overcome his genetic profile and transcend the limitations of his "in-validity", Director Josef, despite being equipped with all of the tools necessary to mediate space flight, is unable to fully live up to his "valid" perfection, much like Jerome.

It was implied that the world of Gattaca was so terrible that the only jobs invalids like Vincent could get were cleaning toilets. But the existence of two invalids in such high posts shatters the theory that invalids couldn’t get anywhere.

Hollywood has mastered single-perspective storytelling. When one watches this film, they see a disenfranchised Vincent burdened by the world of perfection. What they ignore, however, is the main character's folly and hubris. Vincent has no concrete plan for success once he embarks into space, as his own genetic limitations indicate a high likelihood of death.

Despite being able to pass the rigorous tests required to enter space flight, Vincent's success is ultimately not the result of some fortitude of the will, but of luck; and for some, upon deeper inspection, this may be where the film falters.

reply

Very good analysis thank you.

Vincent was a liability to His crew, given that he hid his condition from them. And he would never be so motivated if it wasn’t for the system that was in place.

reply

You didn't pay attention to the movie. Even without eugenics technology, some people still can be tested as Valid, like Newton and Einstein, they are born without eugenics technology, but luck.

reply