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Better Luck Tomorrow Poster

Better Luck Tomorrow

Never underestimate an overachiever.
2002 | 101m | English

(10832 votes)

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Popularity: 2 (history)

Details

A group of over-achieving Asian-American high school seniors enjoy a power trip when they dip into extra-curricular criminal activities.
Release Date: Jan 12, 2002
Director: Justin Lin
Writer: Ernesto Foronda, Fabian Marquez, Justin Lin
Genres: Drama, Romance, Crime
Keywords high school, high school student, petty crimes
Production Companies Paramount Pictures, MTV Films, Cherry Sky Films, Day O Productions, Hudson River Entertainment, Trailing Johnson Productions
Box Office Revenue: $3,800,000
Budget: $250,000
Updates Updated: Aug 09, 2025
Entered: Apr 13, 2024
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Full Credits

Name Character
Parry Shen Ben Manibag
Jason Tobin Virgil Hu
Sung Kang Han Lue
Karin Anna Cheung Stephanie Vandergosh
Roger Fan Daric Loo
Jerry Mathers Biology Teacher
John Cho Steve Choe
Aaron Takahashi Takashi
Darian Weiss Kenny Vandergosh
Ariadne Shaffer Rachel
James Isaac Barry Porn Jock
Shirley Jean Anderson Hot Dog Planet Costumer
Alden Ray Ulden
Justin Lin Jock (Uncredited)
Name Job
Ernesto Foronda Writer
Donna Tina Charles Second Assistant Director, Casting
Fabian Marquez Writer
Yoo Jung Han Art Direction, Production Design
Jaime Serene Kelly Key Makeup Artist
Sandi Lieu Costume Design
Tobin Mori Original Music Composer
Michael Gonzales Original Music Composer
Robin Felix Hairstylist
Josh Diamond First Assistant Director
Lorri Jakubuv Property Master
Tim Bindel Sound Supervisor, ADR Supervisor, Supervising Sound Editor
Curtis Choy Sound
Paul Davidson Foley Artist
Cindy Jo Hinkleman Dialogue Editor
James P. Lay Supervising Sound Editor, Sound Effects Editor, Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Michael J. McDonald Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Richard Partlow Foley Supervisor
Andy Rosenthal Sound Effects Editor
John Sanacore ADR Mixer
Scott M. Silvey Sound Effects Editor
William Tabanou Sound Effects Editor
Kelly Vandever Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Ben Boodman Assistant Editor
Sheri Ozeki Additional Music
Mato Color Timer
Joel Juárez Casting Associate
Guy Livneh Chief Lighting Technician
Remi Tournois First Assistant Camera
Justin Lin Editor, Director, Writer
Patrice Lucien Cochet Director of Photography
Alexander Gruzdev Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Fred Raskin Additional Editor
Name Title
Ernesto Foronda Producer
Julie Asato Producer
Gustavo Spoliansky Executive Producer
Michael Cole Executive Producer
Michael D. Manshel Executive Producer
Troy Craig Poon Executive Producer
Steve Herr Associate Producer
Joan Huang Co-Producer
Justin Lin Producer
Sung Kang Associate Producer
Organization Category Person
Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 4 9 13 6
2024 5 11 15 6
2024 6 10 19 6
2024 7 12 26 5
2024 8 8 12 5
2024 9 10 19 5
2024 10 8 16 5
2024 11 8 21 4
2024 12 7 12 4
2025 1 7 12 5
2025 2 7 12 3
2025 3 4 8 1
2025 4 1 2 1
2025 5 1 2 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 0 1 0
2025 8 1 1 0
2025 9 2 3 1
2025 10 2 2 1

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Reviews

r96sk
5.0

I found this unconvincing. Gotta respect those associated with getting <em>'Better Luck Tomorrow'</em> off the ground, reportedly with big help from one MC Hammer - I didn't expect to read that! However, I didn't like it sadly. You can tell if has a competent director in charge with Justin Lin, t ... hough everything to do with the plot and characters just didn't do it for me. I found the story too far-fetched, personally. I have no issue watching stuff that is nonsensical, but when it is along those lines then it has to be very entertaining and this wasn't, for me. The actors didn't quite work either, not even Sung Kang as Han - who was the sole reason why I wanted to watch this, given the (loose) <em>'The Fast and the Furious'</em> connection. Parry Shen is underwhelming, his voice-overs are particularly dull - he is fairly likeable, I'm just not sure Shen (or his character) were a wise choice for lead. Jason Tobin as Virgil is also a tad irritating (as intended?), while Kang is actually quite forgettable; this Han is barely anything like the F&F version, quite the large reach for them to connect the two, if I'm honest. A quick look at the Wikipedia article for this, which also talks about some other interesting production events (Macaulay Culkin?! Big props to Lin for rejecting that, despite the £££), notes that apparently Sung Kang wanted to play Ben - now that could've been something! Obviously it worked out best for him that he didn't, but still... what could have been. Many others love this - who am I to object, really. All the same, I'm glad this was a success otherwise we most likely would not have got Justin Lin atop the F&F franchise; <em>'Fast & Furious'</em> and <em>'Fast Five'</em> are my favourites, behind the original of course. Happy that I've now belatedly seen a movie from him away from that world, though.

Sep 17, 2024