Rating: 
Summary: Hollywood doesn't make movies like this
Review: An incredibly powerful and absorbing film, Better Luck Tomorrow is worthy of the best film makers in the business today. That it was made by a UCLA film student is all the more astounding. The film follows the lives of Ben and Virgil, two overachieving high school students whose lives are initially consumed entirely by the question of how to make themselves even more appealing on a college application. As a measure of rebellion and a way to assert themselves outside of the limited confines of a college application, they form a "mafia" ring of sorts with two friends. They start out by providing cheat sheets for money. They progress to stealing school property, and ultimately, begin dealing drugs. In the end, the central theme of the movie is one of control over one's own life, and how quickly that control can be lost even when it appears that the exact opposite is true. The action is fast-paced, the dialogue is crisp and sharp, and the characters are all memorable and textured. Virgil is perhaps the most memorable character from a film in years. This movie is intelligent and stylish movie making at its finest.
Rating: 
Summary: "Never underestimate an overachiever."
Review: In the same manner that a book cannot be judged by its cover, what lurks within the soul of a person cannot be truly known by merely looking at them. The successful and confident exteriors of the characters in Justin Lin's "Better Luck Tomorrow" conceal personas of pure depravity. Even suburbia is not exempt from the darker aspects of human nature. Ben Manibag (Parry Shen), Virgil Hu (Jason Tobin), Daric Loo (Roger Fan), and Han (Sung Kang) appear to be normal students at their high school. At first glance they all seem to conform to the overachieving Asian stereotype. However, the truth of the matter is that these young men revel in the thrill of the illicit activity - they sell cheat sheets, deal in drugs, and engage in miscellaneous other illegal ventures. Their destructive existence finally takes a horrifying toll when they agree to take on a job offered to them by a student from another school. "Better Luck Tomorrow" is groundbreaking in its depiction of Asian-American troubled youth. It is also notable for making the alarming observation that modern teens have evolved to the point where they can psychologically balance the positive and negative sides of their personas more effectively than ever. The teens in this film can make a drug sale and then attend an extracurricular activity without being troubled at all by their conscience. In fact, flirting with danger actually elevates their status in the eyes of their peers. When the upstanding Stephanie Vandergosh (Karin Anna Cheung) makes a joke about the boys belonging to the "Chinese Mafia," there is amusement in her voice instead of shock. These teenagers have no desire to exist in a world governed by black-and-white notions of right and wrong. They choose instead to define their outlook on the world in shades of grey. Only when tragedy befalls one of his comrades does a character reflect on the propriety of his actions. Yet, this inner rumination leads to no redemption as the closing narration of the film cynically illustrates.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: This is a great movie. It's Hilarious, realistic, dramatic and cool. I highly recommend it. The actors and storyline are cool.I watch it over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: Better Luck Next Time
Review: I hate when the trailer makes the film look a LOT cooler than it actually is. Case in point, BLT is well-directed and well-acted, but the script had troubles from the start. Seems a bit too extravagant and ambitious for such a mundane plotline. MTV-style cutting, quirky soundtrack and awkward narration all seem a bit out of place in a film with this kind of story, don't you think? It's an ok film... just a bit misleading.
Rating: 
Summary: Where's my Asian Friend?
Review: It's about time someone told the true coming of age story involving Asian-Americans in their most harsh environment, high school. To the standard eye, they live typical Asian lives, trying to reach the perfect 1600, dealing with overbearing Asian parents, basically being outcasts, but behind close doors, they want to break out of the standard that society has put them in. I love the casting in this movie, especially John Cho (MILF!!!!!) The ending had me really shocked at the end. The DJ Shadow track at the end was the topping on the cupcake. The only special feature was the commentary from the director, but what do you expect from such a low budget film.
Rating:
Summary: Move over Clueless, Juice, Joy Luck Club, and Kids
Review: This movie breaks all the stereotypes and myths about honor-student, Ivy-bound, Asian-American males. Unlike historical Western works which strive to castrate Asian men, here Asian-American males have much testosterone and machismo. This movie was not only a fresh concept; it had a great plot and was incredibly pleasing to this audience member (despite its lack of a conclusion). You can tell the production had a tight budget, but it didn't look cheap in the slightest (perhaps this is due to MTV's backing). All the shots are close-up even though I doubt it would have been difficult to film the larger surroundings. The actors are all fresh faces, yet their skills are tight. This movie will definitely make all teenagers wish they attended high school in Southern California. Additionally, it will rekindle both female and male identification with bad-boy protagonists. Anti-Asian racism is challenged in one scene in an awesome, but violent, way. I loved the panethnic vibe in this film where Pilipinos hang with Chinese who hang with Japanese, and importantly, no Asian-American character is moping about wanting to be white or black. Unfortunately, there is a character named Virgil that I do think falls into many problematic Asian male tropes. The ingenue of this film is pretty and obviously has a bright career ahead of her. In all the cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption here, no one touches marijuana (this will make parents happy). If blacks can embrace Eminem, then non-Asians of both genders can embrace this film which places Asian-American males at the center. I think this film is going to be remembered in film history and for years to come.
Rating: 
Summary: a complete bomb
Review: I was barely able to finish it, I so completely lost interest in EVERY aspect of it. There was nothing compelling about any of the characters. The "love story" part of it inspires no emotion. The whole cynical modern youth theme is a joke here. The end didn't tie up or resolve anything, but I honestly didn't care. Don't buy it. Don't rent it. If you want to be frightened or shocked by the modern urban teen, then see KIDS or BULLY.
Rating:
Summary: for christian u andres
Review: wow. first of all i am simply offended by your comment about white dudes in yellow skin. secondly it seems to me that you are shocked at seeing a semi popular film that doesnt have your standard white man leading character like say, tom cruise. On a little side note I must say that I agree with Paul Mooney the acclaimed film critic on chappelle's show here. finally i guess im terribly sorry that the film did not live up to your stereotypical standards for what an asian american should be, or act like, ass
Rating:
Summary: Give Credit Where Credit Is Due
Review: First of all, I am an Asian-American who watched this movie and felt proud that we were not type casted to be martial arts experts or Asian nerds who are constantly picked on. These Asian actors played believable roles because I can tell you that me and my Asian friends had our share of high school antics like those done in the movie. Second, I grew up around the same general area where this movie was filmed and where the "actual" story took place. I don't know if any of you know this, but there was a true event back in the early 1990's, in a suburb of Southern California, that would definitley shock most of you. All I can say is that before or after you watch this movie, do your research about a true story that took place in 1992 in Southern California and you may have a different perception on how you think about this film. Definitely worth watching for comparison. (note: The director never credits the true story from Southern California)
Rating: 
Summary: Been There, Seen It.
Review: At first it's mildly interesting that the kids in this paint-by-numbers teens-gone-bad movie are Asian American. Then, as they devolve into Asian American stereotypes--they're all academically driven genius nerds at first, then become a street gang--that slight interest wears off, and you're left with a movie that says absolutely nothing about teens that hasn't been said 100 times before. And it says that very very slowly and dully and over way too many minutes. Some fine acting, but it's wasted on this utterly unimaginative film. In the end it's kind of a cynical exercise in getting out the ethnic vote.
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