Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)

"Better Luck Tomorrow" – A Grown-Up Film about
Growing Up
by Homer Yen
(c) 2003

"Better Luck Tomorrow" is a very competent and observant film about a segment of high school students growing up in an affluent suburban neighborhood in California's Orange County. The group in question is Asian-Americans. Generally praised for their industriousness, this film focuses on a few individuals who edge away from their outwardly overachieving appearance and towards questionable activities.

It's not hard to recall your High School days when some Asian boy or girl sat on the academic squad, vied for 4.0 GPAs, and bragged about almost getting a perfect score on the scholastic achievement tests. Their diligence is a generally accepted principle. They are all on a fast track to an Ivy League school of their choice with full scholarships. While success does not necessarily come easy, their will to win does. And, it is these unbridled fires that eventually burns out of control that gives this film a dark and powerful feel. Like the innocent faces on these teenagers, the film also has a poignant feel about it as our high schooler's struggle with life-changing decisions that all students inevitably face. However, these kids are surprisingly enterprising, thus providing the film with a deep sense of irony that makes this offering more vivid than most high school stories.

Centered on four students, who may or may not be close friends, they all have similar drives to get ahead. They include the industrious Ben (Parry Shen), who memorizes one new SAT word a night before retiring to bed. His best friend is Virgil (Jason Tobin), a teen with raging hormones and a propensity to get others in trouble as a result of his clowning around. Han (Sung Kang) is the quiet type that agrees to anything after a little bit of cajoling from the others. Daric (Roger Fan) masterminds new and dangerous endeavors. Don't let their social drawbacks fool you. No doubt, each one's bedroom is adorned with trophies and certificates of achievement.

The film has a traditional tender side that is present in any coming-of-age film. Here, we root for Ben as he tries to find a way to make his feelings known for a cute yet ambitious cheerleader (Karin Anna Cheung). She is currently seeing another boy, whose wealth allows him to have BMWs and a bad-boy attitude. All Ben has is his sincerity. It is not immediately clear whether that will be enough.

More powerful is what these four do on the side. Yes, they may do volunteer work for resume points. But to satisfy their entrepreneurial appetite, they create cheat sheets, fence stolen property, and distribute drugs. The characters and the tone of the film enter a sort of "Goodfellas" mentality. As their reputation grows, the more respect they have. But with the wide berth that they are creating, they each begin to lose focus on what they really want. Their drive to overachieve causes them to overextend causing them to burn out.

I applaud this film for as much its wit as its peripheral accomplishments. Here is an efficient film that succeeds in putting Asians at the center of its content. It is a handsome looking film that looks more expensive than it really is. It feels real in its depiction of the Asian student and how venturesome they can be. But ultimately, it is an intelligent film about kids in high school along with some of their breakthroughs and regrets.

Grade: B+

S:        0 out of 3
L:        3 out of 3
V:        2 out of 3

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X-RAMR-ID: 34772
X-Language: en
X-RT-ReviewID: 1134868
X-RT-TitleID: 1121015
X-RT-AuthorID: 1370
X-RT-RatingText: B+