# Better Luck Tomorrow

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2002 film by Justin Lin

Better Luck Tomorrow Theatrical release poster Directed by Justin Lin Written by Ernesto Foronda Justin Lin Fabian Marquez Produced by Justin Lin Julie Asato Ernesto Foronda Starring Parry Shen Jason Tobin Sung Kang Roger Fan John Cho Karin Anna Cheung Cinematography Patrice Lucien Cochet Edited by Justin Lin Music by Michael Gonzales Tobin Mori Production companies Hudson River Entertainment Cherry Sky Films Day O Productions Trailing Johnson Productions Distributed by Paramount Pictures MTV Films Release dates January 12, 2002 (2002-01-12) (Sundance) April 11, 2003 (2003-04-11) (US) Running time 95 minutes[1] Country United States Language English Budget $250,000[2] Box office $3.8 million[2]

***Better Luck Tomorrow*** is a 2002 American [crime drama film](/source/Crime_drama_film) directed, co-written, co-produced, and edited by [Justin Lin](/source/Justin_Lin). It follows a group of overachieving [Asian American](/source/Asian_Americans) teenagers who become bored with their lives and enter a world of petty crime and material excess. The plot is loosely based on the [1992 murder of Stuart Tay](/source/Murder_of_Stuart_Tay).[3] The film stars [Parry Shen](/source/Parry_Shen), [Jason Tobin](/source/Jason_Tobin), [Sung Kang](/source/Sung_Kang), [Roger Fan](/source/Roger_Fan), [Karin Anna Cheung](/source/Karin_Anna_Cheung) and [John Cho](/source/John_Cho).

*Better Luck Tomorrow* debuted at the 2002 [Sundance Film Festival](/source/Sundance_Film_Festival). It became the first film acquired by [MTV Films](/source/MTV_Films), which worked with [Paramount Pictures](/source/Paramount_Pictures) to release the film theatrically in the United States on April 11, 2003.[4][5] It received generally positive reviews from critics, and developed a grassroots following among Asian American audiences.[6][7]

The film is notable for originating the character [Han Lue](/source/Han_Lue) (Sung Kang), later featured prominently in the [*Fast & Furious* film series](/source/Fast_%26_Furious). Justin Lin has stated that *Better Luck Tomorrow* serves as Han's origin story, [retroactively](/source/Retroactive_continuity) placing it in the *Fast & Furious* series continuity.[8][9]

## Plot

High school junior Ben Manibag is an [overachieving Asian American](/source/Stereotypes_of_East_Asian_Americans_in_the_United_States#Model_minority) teenager living in an affluent suburb of [Orange County](/source/Orange_County%2C_California), [California](/source/Southern_California). For the 2001–02 academic year, he sets goals to make his school's basketball team, date his cheerleader crush, Stephanie Vandergosh, and earn the grades necessary for admission to a prestigious [Ivy League](/source/Ivy_League) university. However, his perfectionism masks another side of his life: [toilet-papering](/source/Toilet_papering) houses and engaging in [petty crime](/source/Misdemeanor) alongside his rowdy best friend, Virgil Hu, and Virgil's carefree older cousin, [Han Lue](/source/Han_Lue).

Ben makes the basketball team, but is relegated to the bench. Daric Loo, the senior [valedictorian](/source/Valedictorian) and leader of the school's [Academic Decathlon](/source/United_States_Academic_Decathlon) team, recruits Ben to participate in a schoolwide cheating operation. Daric pays another student, Jesus, to steal tests from the school office, which Ben uses to create cheat sheets sold to other students. Virgil and Han are brought into the scheme, earning the group a small fortune. Meanwhile, Ben finds himself competing with Steve Choe, a private-school student and Stephanie's boyfriend, for her affection. After discovering Ben's crush, Steve offers to let him take Stephanie to the [Winter Formal](/source/Dance_party#School_dances).

Ben, Virgil, Daric, and Han regularly spend time together, gradually escalating their money-making activities into more serious crimes, such as stealing school computer parts and selling drugs. After joining the Academic Decathlon team, whose members party and engage in [substance use](/source/Substance_use_disorder) during practices, Ben develops a [cocaine](/source/Cocaine) addiction. Feeling increasingly conflicted by others' expectations and disturbed after waking up with a cocaine-induced [nosebleed](/source/Nosebleed), Ben withdraws socially. He resumes his former pursuits and spends more time with Stephanie, including at the Winter Formal dance, but remains frustrated by Steve's continued presence in her life.

At the Academic Decathlon national competition in [Las Vegas](/source/Las_Vegas), Ben decides to set aside his worries about Stephanie and reunite with his friends. The group spends their time drinking heavily, gambling in [casinos](/source/Casino), and having sex with a [call girl](/source/Call_girl). Upon returning from Las Vegas, they are contacted by Steve about a possible [score](/source/Burglary), but are stunned to learn that he wants them to rob his own parents' unsupervised oceanside [villa](/source/Villa). Although Ben and Han are initially opposed to the idea, Daric convinces them that it would be the perfect opportunity to teach the indifferent Steve a lesson.

On New Year's Eve, the four meet Steve at Jesus's home garage under the pretense of planning the robbery, but Daric, Virgil and Han suddenly attack him. During the ensuing struggle, Steve grabs Virgil's gun, which accidentally discharges. Ben rushes in, sees the gun in Steve's hand, and seemingly beats him to death with a baseball bat. The group convinces Jesus to bury the body in his backyard in exchange for $300. When a severely injured Steve begins to twitch, Daric suffocates him to death with a gasoline-soaked rag. Afterwards, the four attend a [New Year's Eve](/source/New_Year's_Eve) party, where Ben and Stephanie kiss at midnight.

The next day, while cleaning up the aftermath of the murder, Ben and Virgil hear Steve's phone ringing beneath the ground in Jesus's backyard. After digging it up, they discover that the call was from Stephanie. Ben debates whether to report Steve's murder to the police. Overwhelmed by guilt, Virgil attempts suicide but survives with possible [brain damage](/source/Brain_injury). At the hospital, Daric expresses concern that Han or Virgil might report the murder, but Ben calmly resolves to do nothing and walks away.

A few days later, Ben encounters Stephanie while walking home. She asks whether he has seen Steve lately, and expresses concern that he has not contacted her. The two kiss. In a voice-over narration, Ben admits that he does not know what the future holds, but knows that there is no turning back.

## Cast

- [Parry Shen](/source/Parry_Shen) as Ben Manibag

- [Jason Tobin](/source/Jason_Tobin) as Virgil Hu

- [Sung Kang](/source/Sung_Kang) as [Han Lue](/source/Han_Lue)

- [Roger Fan](/source/Roger_Fan) as Daric Loo

- [John Cho](/source/John_Cho) as Steve Choe

- [Karin Anna Cheung](/source/Karin_Anna_Cheung) as Stephanie Vandergosh

- [Aaron Takahashi](/source/Aaron_Takahashi) as Takeshi

- Darian Weiss as Kenny Vandergosh

- Alden Ray as Ulden

- Ryan Cadiz as Jesus Navarro

- Jessie S. Marion as Gina Nabham

- A.J. Green as Mr. Farmer

- Beverly Sotelo as Audrey

- [Jerry Mathers](/source/Jerry_Mathers) as the biology teacher

## Production

### Development

[Justin Lin](/source/Justin_Lin) said that the title *Better Luck Tomorrow* refers to how the film explores "the whole youth culture of today, specifically Asian-American, but also just the general mentality of teenagers today. I mean, I work with teenagers, I grew up in the 80s, and already it's very different, the mentality. You go to suburbia, you look at upper-middle-class-kids, and through the media they've literally adopted an urban-gangsta-mentality."[10]

The plot is inspired by the [1992 murder of Stuart Tay](/source/Murder_of_Stuart_Tay). Tay, a 17-year-old Chinese American high school student in [Orange County, California](/source/Orange_County%2C_California), was killed by several peers following a failed petty crime scheme.[11] Tay and the perpetrators were all high-achieving students who intended to attend elite universities and college, which led the media to dub the crime "the Honor Roll Murder."[12] While Lin had followed media coverage of the Tay murder, he consciously chose not to base the film too closely on the real event.

While writing the script, he found inspiration in his work as a youth basketball coach and teaching high school students how to make community documentaries.[7]

### Pre-production and casting

Lin's original investors wanted a white cast with [Macaulay Culkin](/source/Macaulay_Culkin) as the male lead if he wanted a million dollar investment for his movie.[13][14] Lin objected and continued to fund the project with his 10 credit cards and life savings.[15][7] He said knowing the film "potentially could've been the last film I ever made" he wanted to make it "about issues that were very important to me."[7]

After those funds were depleted, finishing funds equivalent to one third of the film's budget were provided by Cherry Sky Films for post-production, preparing the film to submit to Sundance, after producer Joan Huang reconnected with Lin at the LA Asian Pacific American Film Festival.

A crucial $10,000 was provided by [MC Hammer](/source/MC_Hammer), whom Lin had met in April 2001, when he was working at the [Japanese American National Museum](/source/Japanese_American_National_Museum) and attended the [National Association of Broadcasters](/source/National_Association_of_Broadcasters) convention in [Las Vegas](/source/Las_Vegas), Nevada.[16][17][13] "Out of desperation, I called up MC Hammer because he had read the script and liked it. Two hours later, he wired the money we needed into a bank account and saved us," Lin said.[18] MC Hammer is credited as a producer of the film.[19]

[Sung Kang](/source/Sung_Kang) had originally wanted to play Ben Manibag.[17]

### Filming

Originally the film was going to be shot using digital video, but within two weeks, after [Fujifilm](/source/Fujifilm) and later [Kodak](/source/Kodak) proposed deals with the director, the filming switched to [35 mm](/source/35_mm_movie_film).[10]

## Reception

### Critical reception

The film has an approval rating of 81% at the review aggregation website [Rotten Tomatoes](/source/Rotten_Tomatoes), based on 106 reviews with an average rating of 7.03/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "A promising work by Lin, the energetic *Better Luck Tomorrow* is disturbing and thought-provoking."[20] On [Metacritic](/source/Metacritic), the film has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 32 critics.[21]

[Peter Travers](/source/Peter_Travers) of *[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)* wrote "Lin is a talent to watch. There's a sting to this film that gets to you."[22] [Roger Ebert](/source/Roger_Ebert) in the *[Chicago Sun-Times](/source/Chicago_Sun-Times)* gave the film a full four-star-rating and wrote that it was a "disturbing and skillfully-told parable about growing up in today's America" and that Lin "reveals himself as a skilled and sure director".[23] Ebert defended the filmmakers during a screening after an audience member accused them of misrepresenting their culture and race. Ebert declared "What I find very condescending and offensive about your statement, is nobody would say to a bunch of white filmmakers, 'how could you do this to your people?'".[24] In 2018, Jane Yong Kim of *[The Atlantic](/source/The_Atlantic)* wrote the film "[complicates] the question of Asian American representation in Hollywood in ways that still resonate deeply today".[25]

### Release

*Better Luck Tomorrow* opened on 13 screens on April 11, 2003,[2] earning the highest per-screen average of any in film release at the time.[7]

Much of the film's success was attributed to grassroots campaigning by young Asian-American viewers,[6] particularly college students, who promoted the film on school campuses and online.[7]

### Awards and film festivals

- Official Selection and Grand Jury Prize Nomination – [Sundance Film Festival](/source/Sundance_Film_Festival), 2002. In a question and answer session following a festival screening, in response to an audience member who asked director Lin if he thought it was irresponsible to portray Asian-Americans in such a negative light, [Roger Ebert](/source/Roger_Ebert) stood up and said, angrily, "What I find very offensive and condescending about your statement is nobody would say to a bunch of white filmmakers, 'How could you do this to your people?'". And then he continued: "This film has the right to be about these people, and Asian-Americans have the right to be whatever the hell they want to be. They do not have to 'represent' their people."[7][13] Ebert's approval of the film drew the attention of major studios, leading eventually to MTV's buying the film for distribution.[26][27][28]

- Official Selection – [Toronto International Film Festival](/source/Toronto_International_Film_Festival), 2002. Lin said reception at the Toronto festival was notably different than Sundance with the audience more interested in discussing the state of youth rather than the race of the ethnicity of the actors. "In America, most of the time, I can't even get into talking about the issues, because they're just stuck on race," he said.[7]

- [Independent Spirit Awards](/source/Independent_Spirit_Awards) – [John Cassavetes Award](/source/Independent_Spirit_John_Cassavetes_Award) Nomination, 2004[29]

## Connection to the *Fast & Furious* franchise

Director Justin Lin later directed multiple films in the *[Fast & Furious](/source/Fast_%26_Furious)* franchise, with Kang reprising his role as [Han Lue](/source/Han_Lue). *Better Luck Tomorrow* was [subsequently recognized](/source/Retroactive_continuity) as Han's [origin story](/source/Origin_story).[8][9]

## See also

- [Model minority](/source/Model_minority)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Better Luck Tomorrow"](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/better-luck-tomorrow-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zmzqxota). *[British Board of Film Classification](/source/British_Board_of_Film_Classification)*. Retrieved April 20, 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-BOM_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-BOM_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-BOM_2-2) ["Better Luck Tomorrow"](http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=betterlucktomorrow.htm). *[Box Office Mojo](/source/Box_Office_Mojo)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Yi, Daniel (April 6, 2003). ["They're the bad seeds?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20060321193117/http://www.betterlucktomorrow.com/article.php?id=32). *[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.betterlucktomorrow.com/article.php?id=32) on March 21, 2006. Retrieved March 18, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Morales, Wilson. ["better luck tomorrow"](http://blackfilm.com/20030411/reviews/betterlucktomorrow.shtml). *Blackfilm.com*. Retrieved July 12, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Hill, Logan (May 19, 2016). ["Meet Justin Lin, the Most Important Blockbuster Director You've Never Heard Of"](https://www.wired.com/2016/05/justin-lin-star-trek-beyond/). *[Wired](/source/Wired_(magazine))*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1059-1028](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1059-1028). Retrieved April 7, 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Email_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Email_6-1) Yoshino, Kimi (April 11, 2003). ["An E-mail push for 'Better Luck'"](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-apr-11-fi-grassroots11-story.html). *Los Angeles Times*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230416232802/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-apr-11-fi-grassroots11-story.html) from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-EO_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-EO_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-EO_7-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-EO_7-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-EO_7-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-EO_7-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-EO_7-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-EO_7-7) Friend, David (April 25, 2003). ["Lucky Today, Better Luck Tomorrow: Justin Lin talks about Better Luck Tomorrow"](https://web.archive.org/web/20041217065102/http://www.jupiter2.com/eo/eo_exclusive/interviews/justin_lin.html). *Entertainment Online*. Archived from [the original](http://www.jupiter2.com/eo/eo_exclusive/interviews/justin_lin.html) on December 17, 2004. Retrieved December 26, 2021.

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1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_9-1) Fuge, Jonathan (February 8, 2020). ["#JusticeForHan Is What Brought F9 Director Justin Lin Back to the Franchise"](https://movieweb.com/fast-and-furious-9-justice-for-han-justin-lin/). *[MovieWeb](/source/MovieWeb)*. Retrieved February 9, 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Aderer_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Aderer_10-1) Aderer, Konrad (May 20, 2011). ["Justin Lin: Getting Better All The Time"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150923175236/http://www.asianamericanfilm.com/archives/000029.html). *Asian American Film*. Archived from [the original](http://www.asianamericanfilm.com/archives/000029.html) on September 23, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Yi, Daniel. ["They're the bad seeds?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20060321193117/http://www.betterlucktomorrow.com/article.php?id=32). Archived from the original on March 21, 2006. Retrieved March 19, 2008.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_bot:_original_URL_status_unknown)) *[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)*. April 6, 2003. Retrieved on 2008-03-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Lavinyoung_12-0)** Lavin, Cheryl. "[Young, Well-to-do, Intelligent - And Charged With A Brutal Murder](https://www.chicagotribune.com/1993/02/01/young-well-to-do-intelligent-and-charged-with-a-brutal-murder/)." *[Chicago Tribune](/source/Chicago_Tribune)*. February 1, 1993. December 16, 2012. "Stuart Tay was a 17-year-old Chinese-American honor student[...]"

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_13-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_13-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_13-2) Wong, Alex (August 16, 2018). ["How Dare You Represent Your People That Way: The Oral History of 'Better Luck Tomorrow'"](https://www.gq.com/story/better-luck-tomorrow-oral-history). *[GQ](/source/GQ)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180823040357/https://www.gq.com/story/better-luck-tomorrow-oral-history) from the original on August 23, 2018. Retrieved April 10, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Ryzik, Melena (February 24, 2016). ["What It's Really Like to Work in Hollywood (*If you're not a straight white man.)"](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/02/24/arts/hollywood-diversity-inclusion.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220521080627/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/02/24/arts/hollywood-diversity-inclusion.html) from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Fleming, Mike Jr. (June 3, 2015). ["Justin Lin Talks Wet Cement at Chinese Theater, 'Star Trek 3,' 'True Detective' And His Foray Into Chinese Film"](https://deadline.com/2015/06/justin-lin-star-trek-3-true-detective-hollywood-adventures-tcl-chinese-theater-1201437272/). *[Deadline](/source/Deadline_(website))*. Retrieved April 10, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Lin, Lynda (April 10, 2003). ["Movie Review: "Better Luck Tomorrow" breaks stereotypes"](https://web.archive.org/web/20050729081156/http://www.betterlucktomorrow.com/article.php?id=38). *AsiansInAmerica.org*. Archived from [the original](http://www.betterlucktomorrow.com/article.php?id=38) on July 29, 2005. Retrieved December 26, 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Yamato_17-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Yamato_17-1) Yamato, Jen; Shyong, Frank (May 19, 2020). ["Sung Kang"](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sung-kang/id1501446978?i=1000475060127). *Asian Enough* (Podcast). [Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times). Retrieved May 19, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["New movie displays original view of Asian American films"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110614221536/http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2003/05/09/8198/). *[The Daily Princetonian](/source/The_Daily_Princetonian)*. May 9, 2003. Archived from [the original](http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2003/05/09/8198/) on June 14, 2011. Retrieved November 16, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["MC Hammer Biography"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120715115902/http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/MC-Hammer-Biography/4E0F2063AA089C6748256E0700170A6C). *Sing365.com*. Archived from [the original](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/MC-Hammer-Biography/4E0F2063AA089C6748256E0700170A6C) on July 15, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)"](http://rottentomatoes.com/m/better_luck_tomorrow/). *[Rotten Tomatoes](/source/Rotten_Tomatoes)*. [Fandango](/source/Fandango_Media). Retrieved April 12, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** ["Better Luck Tomorrow Reviews"](http://www.metacritic.com/movie/better-luck-tomorrow). *[Metacritic](/source/Metacritic)*. [CBS Interactive](/source/CBS_Interactive). Retrieved March 6, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-RS_22-0)** Travers, Peter (April 11, 2003). ["Better Luck Tomorrow"](https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/better-luck-tomorrow-249243/). *[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)*. Retrieved October 29, 2022.{{[cite magazine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_magazine)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** [Ebert, Roger](/source/Roger_Ebert) (April 11, 2003). ["Better Luck Tomorrow"](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/better-luck-tomorrow-2003). *[Chicago Sun-Times](/source/Chicago_Sun-Times)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** [*Roger Ebert yelling at Sundance*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSzP9YV3jbc). *YouTube*. ianmalcm. May 20, 2010. Retrieved November 12, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** Kim, Jane Yong (August 21, 2018). ["How Better Luck Tomorrow Argued for Its Existence, 15 Years Ago"](https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/08/how-better-luck-tomorrow-argued-for-its-existence-15-years-ago/568045/). *[The Atlantic](/source/The_Atlantic)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180822013131/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/08/how-better-luck-tomorrow-argued-for-its-existence-15-years-ago/568045/) from the original on August 22, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** Downey, Ryan J. (April 3, 2003). ["'Better Luck Tomorrow' Gets People Talking About Asian-American Stereotypes"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220321111805/http://www.mtv.com/news/1471010/better-luck-tomorrow-gets-people-talking-about-asian-american-stereotypes/). *[MTV](/source/MTV)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1471010/better-luck-tomorrow-gets-ebert-screaming.jhtml) on March 21, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-27)** ["Better Luck Tomorrow"](https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=934065). *[All Things Considered](/source/All_Things_Considered)*. National Public Radio. January 23, 2003.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-28)** ["A Sundance success story"](https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-xpm-2003-04-24-export5168-story.html). *Los Angeles Times*. April 24, 2003. Retrieved April 16, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-29)** ["19th Independent Spirit Awards Coverage (2004)"](https://www.digitalhit.com/isa/19th.shtml). *Digitalhit.com*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20031231141738/http://digitalhit.com/isa/19th.shtml) from the original on December 31, 2003. Retrieved December 26, 2021.

## Further reading

- Brook, Vincent (January 1, 2013). *Land of Smoke and Mirrors: A Cultural History of Los Angeles*. [Rutgers University Press](/source/Rutgers_University_Press). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8135-5458-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8135-5458-7).

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.betterlucktomorrow.com/)

- [*Better Luck Tomorrow*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0280477/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [*Better Luck Tomorrow*](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=betterlucktomorrow.htm) at [Box Office Mojo](/source/Box_Office_Mojo)

v t e Films directed by Justin Lin Shopping for Fangs (1997) Better Luck Tomorrow (2002) Annapolis (2006) The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) Finishing the Game (2007) Fast & Furious (2009) Fast Five (2011) Fast & Furious 6 (2013) Star Trek Beyond (2016) F9 (2021) Last Days (2025)

v t e Fast & Furious Films The Fast and the Furious (2001) 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) Fast & Furious (2009) Fast Five (2011) Fast & Furious 6 (2013) Furious 7 (2015) The Fate of the Furious (2017) Hobbs & Shaw (2019) F9 (2021) Fast X (2023) Short films The Turbo Charged Prelude for 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) Los Bandoleros (2009) Television series Fast & Furious Spy Racers (2019–2021) Inspired media Video games The Fast and the Furious (2004) The Fast and the Furious (2006) Fast Five (2011) Fast & Furious 6 (2013) Fast & Furious: Showdown (2013) Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious (2015) Fast & Furious Crossroads (2020) Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 - Fast & Furious Expansion Pack (2023) Forza Horizon 5: Fast X – Car Pack (2023) Attractions Fast & Furious: Supercharged (2015, 2018) Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift (2026) Characters Dominic "Dom" Toretto Brian O'Conner Sean Boswell Han Lue Gisele Yashar Music Soundtracks The Fast and the Furious More Fast and Furious 2 Fast 2 Furious Tokyo Drift Fast & Furious Fast Five Fast & Furious 6 Furious 7 The Fate of the Furious Hobbs & Shaw F9 Road to Fast 9 Fast X Songs "Act a Fool" "Bandoleros" "Tokyo Drift" "Conteo" "Danza Kuduro" "We Own It" "Ride Out" "How Bad Do You Want It (Oh Yeah)" "See You Again" "Go Hard or Go Home "Go Off" "Hey Ma" "Good Life" "Gang Up" "Candy Paint" "One Shot" "Angel Pt. 1" Related The Fast and the Furious (1954) Better Luck Tomorrow (2002) Superfast! (2015) Category

v t e MTV Films 1990s Joe's Apartment (1996) Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996) Dead Man on Campus (1998) Varsity Blues (1999) 200 Cigarettes (1999) Election (1999) The Wood (1999) 2000s The Original Kings of Comedy (2000) Save the Last Dance (2001) Pootie Tang (2001) Zoolander (2001) Orange County (2002) Better Luck Tomorrow (2002) Crossroads (2002) Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat (2002) Jackass: The Movie (2002) The Fighting Temptations (2003) Tupac: Resurrection (2003) The Perfect Score (2004) Napoleon Dynamite (2004) Hustle & Flow (2005) Coach Carter (2005) Murderball (2005) The Longest Yard (2005) Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005) Æon Flux (2005) Jackass Number Two (2006) The Foot Fist Way (2006) Freedom Writers (2007) Blades of Glory (2007) Beneath (2007) How She Move (2008) Stop-Loss (2008) Dance Flick (2009) 2010s Jackass 3D (2010) Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011) Footloose (2011) Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012) Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013) Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013) Project Almanac (2015) Eli (2019) 2020s 76 Days (2020) Finding Yingying (2020) 17 Blocks (2021) Jackass Forever (2022) Three Months (2022) Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe (2022) Jackass: Best and Last (2026) Related Beavis and Butt-Head (franchise) Jackass (franchise) List of MTV Entertainment Studios productions

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Better Luck Tomorrow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Luck_Tomorrow) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Luck_Tomorrow?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.