Search - MTV Films Present: Better Luck Tomorrow

A group of unlikely high school students take up crime as an extracurricular activity in this independent drama. Ben (Parry Shen) is a 16-year-old high school student who is the living embodiment of the stereotypical Asian overachiever. Ben obsessively studies even though he gets straight A's, takes part in a dizzying variety of school activities and community volunteer work, which he thinks will look good on his resume to colleges, and is even a member of the basketball team, even though he spends most of the season riding the pine. Ben also hopes being part of the team will help him win the heart of Stephanie Vandergosh (Karin Anna Cheung), a cute but equally obsessive girl who is on the cheerleading squad. When the big man on campus, Daric (Roger Fan), publishes an article in the school newspaper that points out Ben's true role on the team is to add a touch of ethnic diversity to satisfy Board of Education requirements, Ben is so embarrassed he quits the team and imagines his academic future going up in smoke. Daric seizes the opportunity to propose that he and Ben go into business, creating and selling detailed cheat sheets for school tests and placement exams. The cheat sheets are an immediate hit, and soon Ben and Daric advance to other forms of low-level crime, including drug dealing and fencing stolen goods. Before long, Ben and Daric are joined by a handful of friends -- Ben's close friend and part-time kleptomaniac Virgil (Jason Tobin), Hong Kong gangster wannabe Han (Sung Kang), and Steve (John Cho), a kid from a wealthy family who happens to be dating Stephanie -- but they soon find themselves moving deeper into the criminal underworld than they ever anticipated, and things get ugly when they try to move on. Better Luck Tomorrow was enthusiastically received in its screenings at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Parry Shen - Ben Manibag
Jason Tobin - Virgil Hu
Kang Sung - Han
Roger Fan - Daric Loo
John Cho - Steve Choe

2003

John Cassavetes Award (nominee)

Independent Spirit Awards

Justin Lin

You'll never look at overachievers in the same light after watching the Paramount Pictures DVD release of director Justin Lin's acclaimed indie drama Better Luck Tomorrow. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, the image offers well-balanced colors and even skin tones. It's no secret that Better Luck Tomorrow was shot on a minimal budget, and the filmmakers achieved a sharp visual style that translates well to the small screen in this transfer. Though the sound throughout most of the film is less dynamic than that of your local Cineplex blockbusters, the bold English Dolby Digital 5.1 treatment with optional English subtitles still stands on its own with notably clarity and no obvious hiss or distortion. What may come as a surprise to many is that Paramount has been so kind as to include a commentary track featuring director Lin and co-writers Ernesto M. Foronda and Fabian Marquez. Though the writers offer little in the way of information regarding story dynamic, they do provide numerous amusing anecdotes regarding the making of the film, with the likable Lin dropping the occasional technical detail. It's obvious from listening to the commentary track that Lin is a director who greatly values his crew and respects the dramatic talents of his cast, and the easygoing filmmaker readily and frequently sites the dedicated efforts of everyone who brought the film together. The only complaint about this release, and it is minimal, is that Paramount might have rounded out the package by including some of the deleted scenes that Lin references throughout his commentary. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

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