A group of over-achieving East Asian American high school seniors enjoy a power trip when they dip into extracurricular criminal activities.A group of over-achieving East Asian American high school seniors enjoy a power trip when they dip into extracurricular criminal activities.A group of over-achieving East Asian American high school seniors enjoy a power trip when they dip into extracurricular criminal activities.
- Awards
- 1 win & 2 nominations
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAccording to an April 2003 NPR radio interview with Elvis Mitchell, Justin Lin's production company was on the verge of folding unless Lin could secure a certain amount of funding. Lin had essentially resigned himself to failure; but on a whim called a celebrity he had met once in Las Vegas. Lin got a call the day before the deadline from the celeb saying that he had read the script and wanted to provide some backing. Two hours later, the new investor had wired Lin the money and saved the production. The celebrity: M.C. Hammer.
- GoofsWhile Ben and Stephanie are studying, they're discussing biology and Ben flips through a textbook looking up an answer - but the diagrams in the book show that it's really a math book and not bio.
- Quotes
Steve Choe: Are you happy?
Ben Manibag: I don't know.
Steve Choe: Fuck. That's the most truthful thing I've ever heard.
- Alternate versionsIn the version shown at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival, Ben Manibag, played by Parry Shen, has taken part in the killing of a romantic rival, and towards the end he is heard saying, in effect, "Well, what I did wasn't right ...but I've got college to think about, and I've got a good life to look forward to, and I'm gonna move on."
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 2004 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (2004)
- SoundtracksBlood on the Motorway
Written by Josh Paul Davis & Marc Z
Performed by DJ Shadow
Courtesy of Universal-MCA Music Publishing, a division of Universal Studios on behalf of Mo Wax Music,
Ltd. (ASCAP) and Universal-Island Records, Ltd.
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises
Contains a sample of "It's Easy" by Marc Z
Featured review
more than what I expected
I picked this film up on a whim, and I thought that I knew what it was going to be about, but I was mistaken; I didn't expect the dark comedy/tragedy that the film ended up being. However, this was not bad. I have watched tons of films wherein at one point, you say to yourself, "Ok, this is just not possible", and you want to think that it's not, because the characters don't seem to deserve what you know what will happen to them. "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 something that not many films can do ("Bad things" included).
This film is quite impressive, especially considering it was shot for a VERY shoestring budget, and had some great camera work and very solid editing. It did not in any way look like an amateur film, at all. I don't understand how this film has been branded "shallow"; it takes an original story and tells it in a convincing manner not characteristic of many films lately.
On one final note, all the acting is great, and I really don't care if anyone in it was thirty years old playing a seventeen year old, they were great performances and they had actual heart behind them.
If you have a chance, see this film, but be prepared to get a little more than what you thought you would.
This film is quite impressive, especially considering it was shot for a VERY shoestring budget, and had some great camera work and very solid editing. It did not in any way look like an amateur film, at all. I don't understand how this film has been branded "shallow"; it takes an original story and tells it in a convincing manner not characteristic of many films lately.
On one final note, all the acting is great, and I really don't care if anyone in it was thirty years old playing a seventeen year old, they were great performances and they had actual heart behind them.
If you have a chance, see this film, but be prepared to get a little more than what you thought you would.
- How long is Better Luck Tomorrow?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- 火爆麻吉
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $250,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $3,802,390
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $360,772
- Apr 13, 2003
- Gross worldwide
- $3,809,226
- Runtime1 hour 41 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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