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Better Luck Tomorrow

  • 20022002
  • RR
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
9.8K
YOUR RATING
Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
A group of over-achieving Asian-American high school seniors enjoy a power trip when they dip into extra-curricular criminal activities.
Play trailer2:02
5 Videos
64 Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Romance
A group of over-achieving East Asian American high school seniors enjoy a power trip when they dip into extracurricular criminal activities.A group of over-achieving East Asian American high school seniors enjoy a power trip when they dip into extracurricular criminal activities.A group of over-achieving East Asian American high school seniors enjoy a power trip when they dip into extracurricular criminal activities.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
9.8K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Justin Lin
  • Writers
    • Ernesto Foronda
    • Justin Lin
    • Fabian Marquez
  • Stars
    • Parry Shen
    • Jason Tobin
    • Sung Kang
Top credits
  • Director
    • Justin Lin
  • Writers
    • Ernesto Foronda
    • Justin Lin
    • Fabian Marquez
  • Stars
    • Parry Shen
    • Jason Tobin
    • Sung Kang
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 140User reviews
    • 53Critic reviews
    • 67Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations

    Videos5

    Better Luck Tomorrow
    Trailer 2:02
    Better Luck Tomorrow
    Better Luck Tomorrow
    Trailer 1:57
    Better Luck Tomorrow
    Better Luck Tomorrow
    Trailer 1:50
    Better Luck Tomorrow
    Everything We Know About 'F9'
    Clip 3:31
    Everything We Know About 'F9'
    How Fans Resurrected a Beloved Character for 'F9'
    Clip 4:38
    How Fans Resurrected a Beloved Character for 'F9'

    Photos64

    Sung Kang, Parry Shen, and Jason Tobin in Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
    John Cho and Karin Anna Cheung in Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
    Roger Fan, Parry Shen, and Jason Tobin in Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
    Justin Lin in Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
    Francis Cullado at an event for Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
    Karin Anna Cheung, Roger Fan, Sung Kang, Parry Shen, and Jason Tobin at an event for Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
    Justin Lin at an event for Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
    Justin Lin at an event for Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
    Karin Anna Cheung at an event for Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
    Karin Anna Cheung at an event for Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
    Karin Anna Cheung at an event for Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
    Karin Anna Cheung, Roger Fan, Sung Kang, Parry Shen, and Jason Tobin at an event for Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Parry Shen
    Parry Shen
    • Ben Manibagas Ben Manibag
    Jason Tobin
    Jason Tobin
    • Virgil Huas Virgil Hu
    Sung Kang
    Sung Kang
    • Hanas Han
    Shirley Anderson
    • Hot Dog Planet Customeras Hot Dog Planet Customer
    Nanette Matoba
    • Housewifeas Housewife
    Kenji Matoba
    • Toddleras Toddler
    Ashley Arai
    • Cheerleaderas Cheerleader
    Danielle Conner
    • Cheerleaderas Cheerleader
    Karen DiTota
    • Cheerleaderas Cheerleader
    Smita Satiani
    • Cheerleaderas Cheerleader
    Kristen Stinson
    • Cheerleaderas Cheerleader
    Jeff DeJohn
    • Ryanas Ryan
    Robert Zepeda
    • Jockas Jock
    Collin Kahey
    Collin Kahey
    • Jockas Jock
    Christopher J. Francis
    • Jockas Jock
    Jimmy Lin
    • Jockas Jock
    Ryan Cadiz
    • Jesus Navarroas Jesus Navarro
    Karin Anna Cheung
    Karin Anna Cheung
    • Stephanie Vandergoshas Stephanie Vandergosh
    • Director
      • Justin Lin
    • Writers
      • Ernesto Foronda
      • Justin Lin
      • Fabian Marquez
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This marks the first appearance of the character "Han" on film, before Justin Lin introduced him in the "Fast & Furious" series with The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006). Although this film is not officially part of the series, the Han from this movie is a chainsmoker, and in the Fast & Furious series, he constantly eats chips due to kicking his smoking habit, so it is meant to be the same character.
    • Goofs
      While Ben and Stephanie are studying, they're discussing biology and Ben flips through a textbook looking up an answer - but the diagrams in the book show that it's really a math book and not bio.
    • Quotes

      Steve Choe: Are you happy?

      Ben Manibag: I don't know.

      Steve Choe: Fuck. That's the most truthful thing I've ever heard.

    • Alternate versions
      In the version shown at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival, Ben Manibag, played by Parry Shen, has taken part in the killing of a romantic rival, and towards the end he is heard saying, in effect, "Well, what I did wasn't right ...but I've got college to think about, and I've got a good life to look forward to, and I'm gonna move on."
    • Connections
      Featured in The 2004 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      Blood on the Motorway
      Written by Josh Paul Davis & Marc Z

      Performed by DJ Shadow

      Courtesy of Universal-MCA Music Publishing, a division of Universal Studios on behalf of Mo Wax Music,

      Ltd. (ASCAP) and Universal-Island Records, Ltd.

      Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

      Contains a sample of "It's Easy" by Marc Z

    User reviews140

    Review
    Top review
    overrated, sucks ass
    I finally saw Better Luck Tomorrow this weekend. I simply cannot the critical praise that has been lavished on this film. I don't care what it's trying to do to challenge Asian American stereotypes - this move sucks ass.

    The premise (straight-laced overachievers by day, gangsters by night) is interesting enough and could have made for a good film, but this isn't it. It utterly fails to explore (or even plausibly explain) why and how these kids fall into a life of suburban thuggery. The violence feels weirdly forced and is devoid of emotional impact (on either the audience or the characters). And the lead character (Ben) is absolutely unwatchable - I'm supposed to believe this vacant mama's boy is some kind of badass? There is just so much wrong with this film I don't even know what else to say about it.
    helpful•4
    1
    • pcal43
    • May 19, 2003

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 25, 2003 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Justin Lin / Trailing Johnson Productions
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • 火爆麻吉
    • Filming locations
      • Cypress High School - 9801 Valley View Street, Cypress, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Cherry Sky Films
      • Day O Productions
      • Hudson River Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $250,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,802,390
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $360,772
      • Apr 13, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,809,226
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 41 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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