Better Luck Tomorrow

Four young men stand together in a busy school setting. They wear casual clothing and appear relaxed, with other students visible behind them.

Better Luck Tomorrow is a pulse-pounding crime drama and the debut feature film of Taiwanese-American director Justin Lin, most notably of the Fast & Furious franchise. The film centers on a group of over-achieving Asian-American high school seniors who enjoy a newfound sense of power and brotherhood when they embrace criminal activities as their main extra-curriculars.

Accomplished high school student Ben (Parry Shen) seems to excel at almost everything except winning over his dream girl Stephanie (Karin Anna Cheung). When he begins an unlikely friendship with trouble-seeking tough guy Daric (Roger Fan), Ben and his friend Virgil (Jason Tobin) become involved in petty crime that gets increasingly dangerous, with his various illegal ventures extending to include Stephanie and her wealthy college beau Steve (John Cho).

As the stakes get higher and the wild parties and drugs take their toll, Ben grows more desperate to get out and leave behind a life of crime for good. But before he can, a final devastating turn leads to a shocking finale that will stay with you long after you leave the theatre.

Among the first mainstream Hollywood films by an Asian-American director, the film was initially criticized for its violent representation of Asian-American teens, but has come to be celebrated for the intensity of its story and complexity of its characters, who have the right to be flawed, multidimensional human beings. Defying all stereotypes, Better Luck Tomorrow ultimately offers a disturbing look at the dark side of four wealthy, disaffected Southern California suburbanites.

Director Justin Lin also considers the film to be a prequel to the Fast & Furious franchise because Virgil's carefree older cousin Han is also the character Han Seoul-Oh, who is introduced in the 2006 film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.

Part of our "Too Cool for School" series. Courtesy: Paramount Pictures/Swank Motion Pictures

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