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.

Director:

Justin Lin

Writers:

Ernesto Foronda, Justin Lin

Stars:

Parry Shen, Jason Tobin, Sung Kang

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Parry Shen	...	Ben Manibag
Jason 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

Storyline

Ben is a perfectionist and overachiever whose tunnel vision leads to nothing less than graduating at the top of his class. As he struggles to achieve social success, he discovers his darker side. He and his friends: Virgil, Daric and Han lead a double life of mischief and petty crimes to alleviate the pressures of perfection. As their adopted identity grows, the gang tumbles into a downward spiral of excitement, excess and fun.

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Plot Keywords:

high school | overachiever | asian american | vomiting | pubic hair | 

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Taglines:

The Boyfriend. The Beauty. The Overachiever. The Mastermind. The Clown. The Muscle.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, drug use, language and sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Justin Lin / Trailing Johnson Productions

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 April 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Завтра повезет больше

Filming Locations:

Alhambra, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$250,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$360,772, 13 April 2003, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$3,802,390

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,809,226

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cherry Sky Films, Day O Productions, Hudson River Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min 98 min (2003)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In a February 2016 interview with the New York Times, Justin Lin recalled than when he was struggling to arrange financing for Better Luck Tomorrow, he had one potential investor who offered Lin $1 million, but only on the condition that the movie had to have Macaulay Culkin in the lead. Lin said, "If I would have said yes, I would have gotten $1 million and I would have gotten to make the movie with a white cast, but it didn't interest me."

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Goofs

In the Las Vegas montage scene, while the protagonists are in a casino attempting to pull out their identification cards to prove their ages to a police officer, the badge on the officer's shoulder says California, while Las Vegas is in the state of Nevada.

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Quotes

Ben Manibag: Do you ever wonder about your real parents?
Stephanie Vandergosh: The parents I have now are my real parents.

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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."

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Connections

Featured in The 2004 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (2004)

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Soundtracks

Retrace
Written by Tobin Mori
Music by eE
Courtesy of the Artist

User Reviews

more than what I expected

I picked this film up on a whim, and I thought that I knew what it was going to be about, but I was mistaken; I didn't expect the dark comedy/tragedy that the film ended up being. However, this was not bad. I have watched tons of films wherein at one point, you say to yourself, "Ok, this is just not possible", and you want to think that it's not, because the characters don't seem to deserve what you know what will happen to them. "Very bad things" with Jon Favreau comes to mind, but "Better Luck Tomorrow" actually connected me to the characters and made me really feel like I just wanted to scream at them and say tell them not to go down the road they were following! This is something that not many films can do ("Bad things" included).

This film is quite impressive, especially considering it was shot for a VERY shoestring budget, and had some great camera work and very solid editing. It did not in any way look like an amateur film, at all. I don't understand how this film has been branded "shallow"; it takes an original story and tells it in a convincing manner not characteristic of many films lately.

On one final note, all the acting is great, and I really don't care if anyone in it was thirty years old playing a seventeen year old, they were great performances and they had actual heart behind them.

If you have a chance, see this film, but be prepared to get a little more than what you thought you would.