The Movie Gattaca - Hidden Meanings

I was browsing the Amazon Unbox service today and noticed the Gattaca movie rental was only 99 cents. This is one of my favorite movies because it provokes thought, has many hidden messages and a strong theme.

Since I own it I decided to watch it again and also spell out some of the hidden meanings I've so far seen in this movie.

If you haven't watched this movie, please read no further to not spoil the fun!



  1. GATTACA - Odd name right? Guanine Adenine Thymine Thymine Adenine Cytosine Adenine
  2. Notable quote: "Consider God's handiwork; who can straighten what He hath made crooked?"
  3. Notable quote: "I not only think that we will tamper with Mother Nature. I think Mother wants us to."
  4. Notice the bold letters during the opening credits.
  5. Notice there are four strong notes to this beautiful soundtrack.
  6. When the movie starts out - Vincent is in a furnace/shower and at the end - Jerome is in that very same furnace/shower - this is beautiful symmetry people!!!
  7. Notice how robotic the "valids" look when walking in the Gattaca building.
  8. The in-movie director of Gattaca strongly believes in Vincent's right to explore the moon Titan. Underpinning the flaws in that society.
  9. The doctor "Omar" mentions his son early in the movie, later we find that his son is an invalid. The doctor has always known.
  10. Irene states: "If you're going to pretend you don't care - don't look up.". She has the same flaws.
  11. Mother says after the delivery "I know you'll do something. You'll do something."
  12. During the geneticist scene there are four eggs.
  13. During the second swim scene, Anton says - "you know you're gonna lose". But Vincent doesn't lose - why? This is the point Vincent understands he has little to nothing to lose and he decides to not lose no matter if it costs him his life but when Anton nearly drowns he comes to the realization that he still had a chance.
  14. Vincent, in being a janitor at Gattaca, makes a good first step in achieving his goal. A key to being a successful is to surround yourself in the environment you wish to be in. A foot in the door so to speak.
  15. Vincent's states "thats an old edition, but I know it all by heart" and Vincent, himself, is an old edition but with a possibly flawed heart.
  16. Notice Jerome's stair-case, does that design look somewhat familiar?
  17. Jerome is right-handed while Vincent is left-handed. Again - great symmetry,
  18. Jerome was usually second best though he had a superior genetic profile. Underpinning the flaws in that society.
  19. Jerome decides to use his middle name as an alias "Eugene".
  20. Irene tests Vincent's hair follicle finding him a "9.3". But is surprisingly unhappy about her suspicions being true.
  21. During the investigation, the older investigator is wiser and more experienced but is an invalid and reports to the younger Anton.
  22. During the treadmill scene, Vincent has a heart attack but manages to walk away unseen.
  23. Jerome's last name is "Marrow", another body part
  24. Irene has an "unacceptable likelihood of heart-failure". Again more symmetry.
  25. At the jazz hall Irene plays with her insecurity about her heart problem, Vincent truly understands her but she doesn't see how that could be the case.
  26. The night with Irene against the sea is just beautiful. I personally feel that Irene understands what Vincent is after the jazz hall scene. And the night with Irene is very similar to the scene in which he was conceived. Makes you wonder huh?
  27. Vincent makes the statement "The investigators are coming by, I'm supposed to be sick" and Jerome responds "So you keep telling me".
  28. During the last swim, Vincent understands that he will likely die but sees no alternative but to give it everything he has.
  29. The best quote of the entire movie "I never saved anything for the swim back."
  30. Another great quote "I got the better end of the deal. I only lent you my body - you lent me your dream."
  31. The final scene with Omar is just great, Omar knows what is about to happen and tells Vincent the story about his son who wants to apply at Gattaca.
  32. The rocket flown into space has multiple window portals, very similar to space-ship-one.

6 comments :: The Movie Gattaca - Hidden Meanings

  1. notice when Eugene is surrounded by fire his medal turns from silver to gold, suggesting he is finally victorious

    my favourite quote is "12 fingers or 1, it's how you use them" - it sums up the whole theme of the film, especially when Uma says "that piece can only be played by 12"

  2. "I never saved anything for the swim back."
    We all die in the end, genetically perfect or not. Doesn't mean you shouldn't give it all you got while you're here. Even perfect genes can't give you determination...

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  4. One thing that never passed me was swimming being central to the plot. Vincent and Anton always battled one another via swimming. Jerome was a world class swimmer, that won only silver(2nd place). Citizens were put in two groups, Valids and Invalids, with invalids being second class citizens. The silver medal that Jerome wears, has two men swimming on it.

  5. His last name is not Marrow, rather it is Morrow. Jerome Eugene Morrow translates to "Sacred well-bred future".

  6. Also notice the change in their swimsuits. At first Anton wears green (nature) and Vincent wears black, the second time Anton is in white (pure/good guy) while Vincent wears black (bad guy), in the last competition they are naked (no designation of good or bad).