Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)

Director:

Justin Lin

Writers:

Ernesto Foronda (written by) &
Justin Lin (written by) ...

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Never underestimate an overachiever.

Plot:

A group of over-achieving Asian-American high school seniors enjoy a power trip when they dip into extra-curricular criminal activities.

Plot Keywords:

Female Nudity | Orange County California | Cellular Phone | Asian American | Overachiever

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Parry Shen	...	Ben Manibag
Jason J. Tobin	...	Virgil Hu
Shirley Anderson	...	Hot Dog Planet Customer
Nanette Matoba	...	Housewife
Kenji Matoba	...	Toddler
Sung Kang	...	Han
Ashley Arai	...	Cheerleader
Danielle Conner	...	Cheerleader
Karen DiTota	...	Cheerleader
Smita Satiani	...	Cheerleader
Kristen Stinson	...	Cheerleader
Jeff DeJohn	...	Ryan
Robert Zepeda	...	Jock
Collin Kahey	...	Jock
Christopher J. Francis	...	Jock

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, drug use, language and sexuality.

Runtime:

101 min | USA:98 min (2003 version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Australia:MA | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Alhambra, California, USA

Company:

Cherry Sky Films

Trivia:

The film was financed with credit cards and with money raised independently by the filmmakers. The actors deferred their salaries.

Goofs:

Continuity: Early in the film when Virgil is standing in the strip mall parking lot, a wide shot shows two blank store signs in the background. In the close-up, he has shifted down the parking lot slightly, and is now standing further to the right of the signs. This can be confirmed by looking at the addresses below each sign, which have changed.

Quotes:

Han: [to Ben] People like you and me, we don't have to play by the rules, we can make our own.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)

Soundtrack:

Chase Mode

Well, "Better Luck Tomorrow."

Perhaps that's what the title means and perfectly sums up the ending which has so many people here stumped. But not me, folks.

"Better Luck Tomorrow" may or may not be one of the best movies about teenagers ever made. I have to congratulate director Justin Lin for creating one of the most complex, funny and disturbing films about high school that I've ever seen. Though I'm an African-American, 18, and in my senior year of high school, I can only partially relate to the situation at hand in this film.

As you know, the movie follows four overachieving high school seniors: Ben Manibag (Parry Shen), Virgil Hu (Jason J. Tobin), Han (Sung Kang) and Daric Loo (Roger Fan). They are never referred to by specific ethnic origin other than "Asian-American," which is one of this movie's strongest points. The four launch several attempts at small-time crime, each round proving to be more successful than the last one. But as with all stories of this particular nature, certain elements arise out of the situations that force them to make hasty decisions with unexpected consequences.

Let me just say that this is one of the most accurate portrayals of the American high school I have ever seen. The acting in this film is perfect and I connected with each and every single one of the characters, which is something that hasn't happened in a high school movie since "The Breakfast Club." I'm not going to bother to single them out, but I liked all of the performances by the actors.

Well, "Better Luck Tomorrow," folks.

10/10