Better Luck Tomorrow: Notable Asian?

There’s been a lot of buzz about the independent film Better Luck Tomorrow(written by Justin Lin and Ernesto Foronda and directed by Lin) that was picked up for distribution by MTV Films. The film was written, produced, and directed by Asian Americans with an all-Asian cast. That’s a significant achievement, but in itself may be the most notable thing about the film.

The movie follows Ben, Virgil, Daric and Han, four male Asian American high school students buddies, and Ben’s love interest, Stephanie, who all live in an affluent Orange County suburb in L.A. Like most college-bound high school teenagers, they are immersed in activities that they think will look good on their college applications: getting good grades, taking honors classes, and joining clubs like academic decathalon. Like some suburban teenagers, they are bored and rebellious, delve into petty crime (including selling “cheat sheets”at school), and get wasted at their friend’s house. Like few suburban teens, however, (at least ones I know of, but maybe life is different in L.A.), they deal drugs, do a lot of coke, star in porn films (Stephanie), buy guns, steal computers from school, plan to rob their rich friend’s house, and finally, murder one of their friends.