Better Luck Tomorrow

Plot synopsis:
Ben Manibag and Virgil Hu are stereotypical overachieving Asian-Americans whose singular goal is to gain acceptance into highly prestigious Ivy League universities. Ben engages in perfectionistic pursuits including learning a new SAT word daily, and trying to best Calvin Murphy's record for free-throw shooting percentage Ben reveals that his perfectionism cloaks another side of his life, including toilet-papering houses with Virgil and other petty crimes including the theft and return of computer equipment with Virgil and his cousin Han Hu to earn easy money. Ben is involved in many school clubs, mainly to pad his college application. He makes the basketball team, though he ends up receiving only token playing time. At the same time, Ben develops a crush on his new lab partner, Stephanie Vandergosh, a girl of Asian descent adopted by a white family.
After meeting Daric Loo, senior valedictorian and president of nearly every student club, Ben becomes part of a school-wide cheat sheet operation. Ben pays Jesus, another student, to steal the tests from the school office, which are then sold off to students. Ben also brings in Virgil and Han into the operation, and the four of them make a small fortune. Meanwhile, Ben has fallen for Stephanie. He discovers that her boyfriend, Steve Choe, seems to take her for granted. Steve discovers Ben's crush and offers to let him take her to the Winter Formal.
As a member of the Academic Decathlon team with Daric, Virgil and Han, the practices at Daric's house devolve into drinking parties. Later, the group, now intoxicated, arrive at a party, where they are accosted by a football player who mocks them. A fight results in Daric pulling out a gun, stopping the fight. At school the next day, news of the fight spreads around school and the group’s notoriety increases. They gradually expand into more dangerous scams, such as the theft of computer parts from the school and eventually drugs. They become users themselves, with Ben developing a heavy cocaine habit. Ben feels increasingly conflicted as he feels stifled by the expectations that others have of him. On his birthday, he wakes up with a nosebleed as a result of his cocaine use, which scares him into changing his life. He tells the group that he wants to quit. Daric agrees with him, adding that their operation has become a full-time job. Daric presents a gun from the three of them to Ben for his birthday.
Virgil continues the operation on his own, but is soon exposed thanks to his own carelessness and bragging. Han is forced to take the blame for the cheat sheet operation and is suspended, but not before beating up Virgil. Ben resumes his academic and extracurricular pursuits. He also begins spending more time with Stephanie, who reveals a wild side of her own when she gives him a CD that she shoplifted. He eventually asks Stephanie to the formal, to which she agrees. During a trip to the Academic Decathlon championships in Las Vegas, Daric hires a prostitute for the guys, with Ben losing his virginity in the process. During his turn, Virgil pulls a gun on the prostitute and she storms off, leading to a fight between Virgil and Han. Despite the turmoil, the team wins the competition.
Ben and Stephanie attend the winter formal together and cultivate their friendship.The situation is made clear to Ben when Steve is seen outside of the formal, waiting to take Stephanie home. Steve meets Ben and tells him that he has information on a possible score. The group is stunned when Steve wants them to rob his parents' house. He refers to it as a wake-up call. Ben and Han are against the plan, but Daric convinces them to participate, saying that this would be the perfect opportunity. They agree to Steve’s plan and practice constantly, even agreeing to purchase a gun for Steve.
On New Year's Eve, the four meet Steve at Jesus' house, where they begin attacking Steve. In the ensuing struggle the gun goes off. Ben beats Steve nearly to death in the confusion. Thinking Steve is dead, the group convinces Jesus to agree to bury the body in his backyard for $300. Steve begins to twitch, but Daric suffocates Steve with a gasoline-soaked rag while a tearful Virgil clutches him. Afterwards, the four go to a New Year's party, where Ben and Stephanie kiss at midnight.
On a hot sunny day, Ben and Virgil discover Steve's body buried in the backyard. Ben debates on whether to report Steve's murder to the police. The guilt over Steve's murder is too much for Virgil, who attempts to commit suicide, but suffers potential brain damage in the process. At the hospital, Daric makes a flippant remark about Virgil's injuries that angers Han. Daric expresses concern about Han or Virgil revealing their secret, but Ben simply resolves to do nothing and walks away.
Separated from the group, Ben is alone at school. He encounters Stephanie one day on the way home. She asks him whether he has seen Steve lately, and expresses some concern that he has not called. They kiss, implying the resumption of their relationship. Ben's voice-over tells the audience that he has no idea about what the future holds, but all he knows is that there is no turning back.

Tags: psychedelic, suspenseful, murder, flashback

Review:
this film breaks down into five acts (not the standard hollywood three), has asian americans playing roles that are reserved not for them, and has a post modern ending.
"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 set up not to spoil the story (this tale is inspired by true events some eleven years ago), but to set up the slick, if bleak, atmosphere.The central character of Lin's film is Ben, a JV Basketball player who rarely gets picked to play, repeats words he picks up in the dictionary over and over in preparation for SAT's, and works a part-time job in a food court so he'll have something to put on college applications.
It seems a lot of IMDB users are out of touch with suburban teen culture.One user even complained about the "the ubiquitous melancholy feeling you'll have throughout watching the movie (which) will stick with you hours after thanks to the resolutionless ending."  That's like complaining about Nietzche because he's depressing.That said, this is an EXTREMELY good movie.
It is true that the leads in this movie did not have to be Asians, but anyone who thinks this is a valid complaint should go visit a SoCal high school and check out the student population.
To describe more would be to give away a genuinely original story line.The second factor that separates "Better Luck Tomorrow" from the usual run-of-the-mill teen angst flick is the total absence of adult authority figures- parents, teachers (one biology teacher has a brief, colorless classroom presence), police (a sole cop is shown in a couple of seconds in a hallway, almost an opaque shadow).
But beneath the suburban undercurrent lies a group of the most jaded Asian-American kids who get in over their head in illicit activities.The film is narrated by Ben, a smart kid who is going about his usual run of the mill life.
When you can be your own man?It turns out Derrick first starts asking Ben to write up cheat sheets for $50 bucks, and then with the enlistment of scrawny Virgil and his no nonsense cousin Han, the guys end up with a reputation that leads to bigger and riskier things...The film has a great fresh style and pace to it, Justin Lin's direction is impecable.
Made for only $250,000, Justin Lin's Better Luck Tomorrow is a dark comedy about a group of over-achieving Asian-American high-school students in Orange County, California whose boredom and feelings about being outsiders lead to acts of petty crime and ultimately to serious violence.
Although a film with an Asian cast (the first since The Joy Luck Club) that avoids ethnic stereotyping was long overdue, I was unconvinced by the one-dimensional performances and felt that the shift in the main character's personality, even accounting for years of suppressed anger, was too abrupt to be believable.
No attempt is made to probe the character's thoughts or feelings either before or after they commit their acts and that funny thing called "conscience" is as far removed from the film's reality as any adult authority figures.
It begins as a story of four Asian-American high school students, all with promising futures and crystal clean records, who decide to enter a life of crime and violence.
It's sad to say that the only original thing in this movie that I've never seen before is an all Asian cast in an English speaking film..
I counted Scorses, Lynch, Aronofsky, and the horrible Matrix directors.Having heard good things I wanted to like this movie, but come on.
and it might've been innovative had not Guy Ritchie and every other "hot young" director not done this to death already.I don't want to spoil the plot for you, but to me it just feels like film school storytelling--shocking for the sake of, just because that's NOT how a story is supposed to end, so it'll be "cool" if it does end this way.
it's narrated by the main character, who, in the beginning of the movie, tells you "how it all began"...etc., you know, Scorsese's characters love doing that, kinda film noir-esque quips, existentialist self-reflection after committing crimes or whatnot.
in this movie it doesn't do too much because 1) I don't think justin lin or any of the writer actually understands, or is interested in understanding, insights into the mind of a criminal, but instead it's just a lot of cliches from other crime pictures, and 2) the voiceover here seems almost as if it's trying to patch up the weak character development--so the director doesn't have to SHOW what the characters are going through, since they're saying it all already.but there are things to like about this movie.
and the angle of asian americans is really nice, because it's not like joy luck club where it's so race-specific, where you're constantly reminded that you're watching chinese people, yet at the same time they're not "white-washed." the comedy for the most part is really nice and really funny, I just wish the tarantino funny moments in the end aren't there--'cause it's WAY too similar to the end of pulp fiction, even more so than like snatch.
After you watch it you'll know what twist I'm talking about.anyways, but I still want you to check it out because asian films need to be seen in order to convince the studios that a non-kungfu movie starring an all asian cast can make money..
While Justin Lin's Better Luck Tomorrow offers Hollywood's much needed insight into the live of Asian-American males, Lin fails to break out of existing stereotypes and provide his characters with complexities that allow his audience to see his characters in a three-dimensional light.
Justin Lin's "Better Luck Tomorrow" aptly reminds the audience that Chow Young Fat, Jet Li, and Jacky Chan are not Asian-American men!Criticisms aside, "Better Luck Tomorrow" is a clever film featuring some fine acting.
"Better Luck Tomorrow", a lukewarm attempt at film making and a poor attempt at story telling, tries too hard to be cool and not hard enough to be real.
Focusing on a group of 5 affluent male SoCal AsianAm teens and one girl, this film offers only paper thin characters who apparently have no life beyond their high school and recreational activities and can't manage a range of emotion beyond disaffected indolence to some hostility.
However, unlike "Kids," "Better Luck Tomorrow" carries no message other than that it is alright to commit crimes, do drugs, and have sex with prostitutes if one can swear it off at the end of the movie and walk away from it as if nothing had happened.
This movie was marketed as an insider's view to Asian American teenagers who are pressured to achieve high grades and succeed; however, the role of any parental figures is wholly absent, and the teens in the movie are quite mindless.
As a theme, Kids Who Kill has been a staple of movies ever since that cherubic little blond girl attempted to do in her very own mommy in 1956's `The Bad Seed.'  Now, almost 50 years later, we have `Better Luck Tomorrow,' a film inspired by the true-life activities of a `Chinese Mafia' made up of a bunch of Asian high school honor students in Orange County, California.
We want to know what kind of parents these boys come from in order to better understand how these offspring got to where they are today, though, I guess, the point might be that, because these appear to be `problem free' kids who get good grades, the parents treat them with a sort of benign neglect that allows this amoral behavior to flourish.
While there, the youngsters end up procuring the services of a hooker and one of the boys even brandishes a gun around the motel room - both events extremely unlikely given the highly litigious nature of our society and the subsequent stringent rules governing such school-sponsored activities.The acting by a cast of virtual unknowns is outstanding, with Parry Shen, in particular, distinguishing himself as Ben, the likable, too-smart-for-his-own-good model student who functions as the film's voiceover narrator and who finds he has a dark side buried deep within him that he never really knew existed.
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.
But there were certain things that I wished the film addressed, explored or handled better, such as pace, more seamless editing, more character development on Stephanie and Steve and carrying out the intentions of why it was essential the cast be all Asian American.
At first glance this seems to be a Asian-American version of the classic teen film premise of "good kids gone bad".
It nicely parallels the usual high school issues (crushes, insecurities, rivalries) with the unique and very serious situations of the story (and it thankfully makes the main female character every bit as complicated and interesting as the males).Some really good acting and a terrific script helps carry the core message of Better Luck Tomorrow.
Although I am not longer near the age, I felt a connection to the characters in the movie.I relate very much to the main character, Ben. I think the movie showed the pressures of living up to a stereotype - that is, being Asian, getting into a great university and being smart.
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.
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.
Better Luck Tomorrow is a teen movie, and it's hard to shake it from that category since it is about teenagers in high school and their adaptation to the society around them.
However, in this day of age of corny teen movies where there's nudity a plenty, kegs in every other scene and stereotypical ethnic characters, Better Luck Tomorrow is a refreshing reminder that there are other stories of high school that are much darker than the usual.
This film will surprise plenty of audiences and show a much darker brand of people that we aren't accustomed to seeing in this Post-Columbine Era.The story is a bit simple at first, and seems to be the usual garbage that we see in teen movies everywhere: Shy guy is in love with cute cheerleader girl, but is unable to hook up with her.
The first thirty minutes seem to be a bit hard to watch, mainly because it seems like this film will be no different than American Pie, but only with Asian-Americans.However, the movie takes a certain turn when the main character begins to meet more Asians like him, and pretty soon, like a house of cards,everything begins to fall apart and he is brought up in a whirlwind of deceit, greed and even murder.
Even though the ending is a bit anti-climatic, making the audience wanting to know what would happen next, it is still a story that is truly original and a breath of fresh air from the usual happy go lucky high school stuff.With the cast being primarily Asian, it was interesting to see how the characters would be depicted.
However, this is a wonderful movie that is savage and enlightening, for it puts a whole new view on Asian American students in high school, and helps destroy the stereotypes that have accompanied them for years.
Being the first major breakout movie, (I know there were other Asian American movies before but none of them had the press this movie had and Mtv backing them) I was expecting something along the lines of "Boyz n the Hood' or "Do The Right Thing."I'm not saying it should mimic the gangster life, but sort of acknowledge their race, culture, and position and how that is different from the rest of the world.
Justin Lin, director of `Better Luck Tomorrow,' wanted to make a film that `resisted the standard stories and stereotypes prevalent in America.' He succeeded because this bold Asian-dominated film is not just about Asian Americans but more about rich Orange County high school seniors who use their credentials of `A's' to scam financial and peer advantages while descending to amorality: `Our straight A's were passports to freedom.'
BETTER LUCK TOMORROW (3+ outta 5 stars)Really good film depicting a group of Asian-American high school students who slowly become enmeshed in more and more serious criminal activity.
You're telling me there's going to be a great looking movie, an indie film from MTV with an Asian American cast and no where are there flying kungfu people, people speaking on an English dubbed track or some identity story?
But there's a whole spectrum of Asian American talent that has yet to be tapped and this movie was proof in point that it's out there.I'd like to congratulate the entire cast and crew of "Better Luck Tomorrow." As a movie- goer, I was really impressed.
Writer/director Justin Lin must have seen every teen movie ever made in California before doing "Better Luck Tomorrow," because he is intimately familiar with the genre to be able to turn it on its head to make a serious movie that ends up more resonant of "Stand By Me" than of "Bring It On."He subversively focuses on the model minority of middle-class Asian-American high school students who gradually realize the power they have over authority as long as they maintain their A averages and high SAT scores to hide a secret life (a grounded-in-reality parallel to the fantasy of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer").
I went and saw the movie in San Jose's Camera One cinema and here is my review:I am happy to report that it is indeed pretty good movie save for a few minor plot holes.On the positive side, I LOVE Perry Shen's acting, it is very polished, mature and right on the mark with the circumstances, he never overreached himself.Also this is definitely a positive step in terms on portraying Asian Americans as multifaceted characters with feelings, emotions, vices just like everyone else.However, I do agree with one earlier review about this film's pandering to the larger audience by almost completely (but consciously and purposefully) sidestepping the main characters' ethnicity as if they thought by doing so the audience would forget that they were all Asians.
The very fact of this contrived self denying of story's racial identity makes it lose its edge and ultimately fall victim to the other more subtle Asian stereotype, that is instead of being who they are, they are always trying to imitate (the mainstream), thus coming off as unoriginal.Also, it seems out of character for Ben to do really bad things, since for most of film the audience is supposed to identify with him, he is supposed to be the good guy (albeit confused) with a conscience, in the end he didn't seem to have too much of guilty conscience.Also some of characters could've been more fully developed, some of these guys come off a bit mysterious than I am sure the director intended.
This movie leaves that stereotype intact and wants us to believe that Asian people get good grades to get away with stuff.
I watched this film because I recently interviewed Parry Shen, its star, who now plays Brad on General Hospital.Better Luck Tomorrow is a film that probably doesn't speak very well to my generation, who are quite removed from what went on in the movie.It's the story of Asian-American teens from affluent homes and apparently no supervision.
Out of control teenage hormones and rage are the result, particularly from Ben, who has held in his feelings all along.Directed by Justin Lin, I liked the focus on Asian-Americans in the film as I think sometimes different ethnicities have trouble being cast as they should, and it's rare to have a film like this.
While the absence of parents is a common theme among movies based on the lives of high school students, the lack of parentals in this film don't hinder the story.
I originally saw Better Luck Tomorrow because I am interested in movies where characters pull scams.
Good and Bad. After watching the trailer for Better Luck Tomorrow, I was a bit concerned about how Asian-Americans would be portrayed; would they be portrayed as cultural caricatures, each with their own distinct one-dimensional personality?
The issue is that the term Asian-American encapsulates more than one lifestyle, race, and cultural background, so for a film like Better Luck Tomorrow  to take on this issue is already very difficult.While the beginning of the film takes the viewer into the narrative world of Ben by portraying the admissions process to college, getting the best grades, etc.
With this in mind, I believe that making BLT a film about Asian American teenagers is actually complementary to the theme of alienation and the story line.
And really, that's what this movie is - a breakthrough film starring 6 Asian-American lead actors.
I have so many good things to say about this movie, like great acting, great story, great dialogues, great everything.
"Better Luck Tomorrow" is receiving praises for overcoming Asian stereotypes but its characters and story are such mixed bag that it doesn't know what to say.