Better Luck Tomorrow

[Ravi]

Better Luck Tomorrow is one of the darker and more interesting films with teenage characters.  The film is about a group of Asian-American high school students who, because of their high grades, feel they can get away with just about anything.  This hubris causes them to push further into vice.  The parents are never seen, and the teenagers seem to be on their own.  BLT is interesting in that it does not center on the characters' ethnic background, except for one instance.  This is not a East-v-West clash of values film.  The story could easily be about rich white overachievers who grow bored of their suburban existence.  Roger Ebert's review mentions that these kids are amoral, on the fast track to Ivy League schools, and well-paying jobs, and that kids like them are likely to be the next leaders of major corporations (Enron, anyone?).

For a low budget film, the cinematography is also excellent.  Director/co-writer/editor Justin Lin has a good eye for how to use the camera and a confident, assured style that does not pull any punches about the subject matter.  Better Luck Tomorrow is not to be missed.

[Ghostboy]

I liked it, but at a certain point I just got frustrated. The main character, Ben, does a few things that I just didn't buy (in the scene with the hooker, and then at the climax). He was obviously a smart character, too smart to do what he does in those scenes.

But other than that, it's a very good film, and it is incredibly well made, considering it only cost about 250, 000 (all on credit cards, I hear!). It looks better than a lot of films that cost ten times that much. Justin Lin is a talented dude. And seeing this made me realize that Asians really have been disincluded from leading roles that aren't kung-fu oriented. I never really thought about that until now.

My favorite moment was when Ben and Stephanie are dancing at the prom, and the slow dance song suddenly changes to a techno beat...but they keep slow dancing anyway.

[Ravi]

I liked it, but at a certain point I just got frustrated. The main character, Ben, does a few things that I just didn't buy (in the scene with the hooker, and then at the climax). He was obviously a smart character, too smart to do what he does in those scenes.

<possible spoilers>





I didn't think the scene with the hooker was too outlandish.  Ben was perhaps caught in the moment, and of course, peer pressure must have played a big part.  The other guys would have made fun of him if he didn't, and the suddenness of it probably muddled his thinking.  Or he felt that nobody besides those 4 would have known about it, that it was one of those secret things friends don't tell anyone else.  In scene soon before, we hear him say something like he could fret about Stephanie the whole time in Vegas or he could have fun IIRC.

As for the climax, without giving too much away, at first I was thinking the same thing as you.  I was totally thinking, "what the f--k is he doing?!"  but he surely had so much frustration building up inside him about the object of his frustration that finally he let it out in, um, the least constructive manner.


In today's Answer Man, Roger Ebert tells of an alternate ending narration, which should have gone into the final film.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/answ-man/sho-sunday-ebert20.html

[Bud_Clay]

it keeps being advertised on tv. i cant say the music used for the tv trailer is making me very anxious to see it..i actually think it's limp biscuit or something.

oh well.

[Sleuth]

it keeps being advertised on tv. i cant say the music used for the tv trailer is making me very anxious to see it..i actually think it's limp biscuit or something.

oh well.

I felt the same way

[Ravi]

Can someone explain to me what exactly that scam was that Ben pulled in the office supply store?  I didn't quite understand it.

[Ernie]

I saw a little preview/behind the scenes type thing on this movie on some show today...it looks alright I guess. It's good to see they're trying harder to make a teen movie that actually stars teens and that is real. I probably will never see it though...it's just not terribly original.

I've always had this goal to make my debut film like, the realest, most honest teen movie I could make...and have that be my most personal film for the rest of my career. So, that means no gross out jokes, no milfs, no stiflers, none of that stuff...just the bright/dark side of teen life. I guarantee it will be better than this movie...more timeless too. I can say that without even seeing this movie. It's going to be a huge 400 Blows/All the Real Girls/George Washington rip off though...it probably won't be as good as them.

[Ghostboy]

I can't figure out that office scheme either.

It's good that MTV and Paramount are marketing this as a teen movie...it'll make more money that way, and kids will be subjected to an intelligent film. At the same time, its sad that to get kids into a movie, they have to play Limp Bizkit during the previews. Ugh. This isn't a 'teen movie,' though. Its a crime drama with a cultural twist.

And ebeaman, don't diss your own work, at least until after you make it! It ruins your cred.

[Ravi]

I can't figure out that office scheme either.

It's good that MTV and Paramount are marketing this as a teen movie...it'll make more money that way, and kids will be subjected to an intelligent film. At the same time, its sad that to get kids into a movie, they have to play Limp Bizkit during the previews. Ugh. This isn't a 'teen movie,' though. Its a crime drama with a cultural twist.

The film seems to have a built-in audience of Asian-American young people.  Ghostboy, I assume you saw the film at the Angelika.  I saw the film there and there were a lot of Asian-American teenagers in the audience.

We're probably going to see many more films made by and about the children of immigrants.  I've seen a few films in the last few years about Indian-American or Indian-British kids.  All the 2nd-gen Indian films seem to be about the culture clash between the East and West, but that will change as more of these films are made because that clash is probably what immediately sprang (sprung?  springed?) into the minds of these young filmmakers.  IOW, Indian-Americans don't yet have a film as good as BLT about them, though one called "Leela" represents the next step in this sub-genre in that it is first and foremost about the characters.  I never really personally identified with the themes of these films, as I didn't experience a culture clash.  The 'rents didn't freak out if I was going out with a white girl, for example.

BLT wasn't about the ethnicity of the characters, though it plays a small part.  I went to school from grades 6-12 with a lot of Asian-Americans, most of whom were like the characters in BLT.  They didn't do anything as bad as the worst activities of those kids AFAIK, but they studied hard, were in all honors or AP classes, paid a lot of attention to their GPAs, put a lot of extracurricular activities on their college applications, etc.  As a group they did everything to get into good colleges and hence, high paying careers.  Yes, sometimes there was cheating and it seemed like they were all in Academic Decathlon  

Interview with Justin Lin:
http://www.jupiter2.com/eo/eo_exclusive/interviews/justin_lin.html

[Keener]

It looks interesting. I'm looking forward to it, despite the Limp.

[Pedro]

I've always had this goal to make my debut film like, the realest, most honest teen movie I could make...and have that be my most personal film for the rest of my career. So, that means no gross out jokes, no milfs, no stiflers, none of that stuff...just the bright/dark side of teen life. I guarantee it will be better than this movie...more timeless too. I can say that without even seeing this movie.

We share the same goal...maybe we should collaborate?

[thedog]

Can someone explain to me what exactly that scam was that Ben pulled in the office supply store?

They go inside the store, fill the shopping cart with expensive computer stuff. Then go to the front and pay for it. They exit the store with the recently purchased items and stick them in the trunk of their car.

Then later on, they go back inside the store, fill another shopping cart with the same stuff they bought before, then go to the front with the receipt from the last purchase and claim they are returning the items. The store takes these items, items which have never even left the store in the first place, and take them as returns. Then the store gives them their money back. Meanwhile the same items they have purchased before sits peacefully in the trunk of their car.

So basically they get expensive computer stuff for free. I'm guessing they sell this stuff later on and make a profit.

pretty clever but i doubt it works.

i enjoyed the movie though.

[Ravi]

What was with the stickers, though?

[MacGuffin]

Originally announced for an August 19th release, Paramount Home Entertainment has bumped Better Luck Tomorrow to September 30th. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1 with English subtitles, extras include an audio commentary with director Justin Lin and co-writers Ernesto M. Foronda and Fabian Marquez. Retail is $29.95.

[Ravi]

I hope it includes the original ending.