Rating- * * * * * (5/5)
In the midst of all of this mindless summer fun comes a festival favorite that will likely be overlooked in theaters this year, Justin Lin’s dark teenage drama Better Luck Tomorrow. This film made waves earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival for its stunningly dark portrayal of life as a teenage overachiever and also for a more visceral achievement, having an almost entirely Asian cast. As proud as Hollywood is of its commitment to diversity, racial stereotypes are still perpetuated more by movies than by anything else in this country. The fact is, filmmakers, just like all other artists, make their best art when dealing with subjects that they know well and since most filmmakers are white, we end up with white heroes and heroines and minorities being plugged into the background as token supporting characters. When we see a film like Better Luck Tomorrow, our first reaction is not so startled that there are Asian’s in the main roles. All the actors in the major roles of this film are incredibly talented and in my opinion have a more authentic acting style than most mainstream white actors. The first time we notice the difference is when the first white actor appears in the film in a small role that normally would have been reserved for a minority actor in most films. It strikes us suddenly that we are completely engrossed in this film and yet none of the actors look like us (speaking from the perspective of a white college kid, of course). Now all of this diversity would be totally useless and self-serving if it wasn’t completely necessary to the story, which it fortunately is. The film slips around a little in its storyline and doesn’t always go in a straightforward motion but basically it follows a four Asian high-school students, all at the top of their class, who find themselves getting deeper and deeper into crime until a final, tragic mistake closes the door behind them. Newcomer Parry Shen plays Ben, an outwardly typical Asian-American high-student (what specific nationality he is seems irrelevant since all the kids basically identify themselves as Asians rather than specific nationalities). Ben makes perfect grades, is a member of numerous clubs and extracurriculars, secretly can beat the NBA record for free throws, and studies for the SATs by memorizing a new word everyday. That last habit is the basis for one of the film’s more brilliant stylistic devices as each new period of the film begins with an appropriately poignant word and the definition as it might appear in a dictionary. One of the great things about this film is its ability to show style and flare while maintaining a strikingly authentic and realistic feel. Stylistically, this film is as sharp and polished as any big studio project even though it was made on a shoestring budget, a testament to the resourcefulness creativity of Lin and his crew. Several shots in this film show off this industrious filmmaking style, such as the slow motion voice-over shot of Ben’s friend Virgil (Jason Tobin) getting beat up by an angry partner in crime. In terms of authenticity, the actors in this film, all unknowns, are simply amazing. Parry Shen does a great job portraying the anxious, self-doubting Ben who clearly has a lot of issues lying just beneath the surface. Also impressive are Tobin as the compulsive Virgil who is completely enamored with the gangster lifestyle and Roger Fan as the confident ringleader Daric. Daric is every parent’s worst nightmare, the guy who seems like the all-star letterman and valedictorian candidate but who actually deals drugs and cheats for success. The rest of the cast is equally impressive, including Karin Cheung who plays the love interest in the story and John Cho as Steve, the typical motorcycle-riding older guy who treats Stephanie like crap but seems to always get what he wants. This is a film with a message and a purpose but also one that’s extremely interesting and stylish. Justin Lin has made a name for himself in Hollywood with this one and by the looks of his talent he should develop an impressive career out of this. Better Luck Tomorrow is one of the most supremely well-made films of the year and it showcases some incredible new talent both in front of and behind the camera. It might find more interest among young adults but older audiences will certainly be drawn in as well. If you get a chance to see this movie, don’t pass it up. It’s an incredible experience and one of the most amazing films you’ll see this year.