At first glance this seems to be a Asian-American version of the classic teen film premise of "good kids gone bad". Although the ethnicity of the characters does play a part in it, the real thrust and emotional direction of this film is something deeper, and puts it head and shoulders above most "teen" films. It nicely parallels the usual high school issues (crushes, insecurities, rivalries) with the unique and very serious situations of the story (and it thankfully makes the main female character every bit as complicated and interesting as the males).
Some really good acting and a terrific script helps carry the core message of Better Luck Tomorrow. And that message is that although these kids are incredibly smart and in many ways lead adult lives, they're still just kids and aren't emotionally prepared for the kind of situations they find themselves in. The movie does a great job of showing the slow escalation in both pressure and stakes when the boys move from petty teenage scams to real hardcore crime. By the end of the movie you feel like you've accompanied these boys on a very long journey, and not one of them is the same when it's over.
It's also a somewhat disturbing window into the lives of modern high-achieving high schoolers. The filmmakers make what I'm sure was an intentional, searing indictment of the parents of such kids - not one parent is seen or even really talked about in the entire movie. To me the message was obvious - that the parents are so immersed in their own lives that they are content to basically put their children on autopilot as long as, as one character memorably puts it, "the grades are there". I wouldn't be surprised if some people (especially baby boomers) find this way too real to make them comfortable.
The film is paced well and is full of interesting little scenes and bits of dialogue, and they aren't solely for amusement. I realized that many of them were there to obliquely foreshadow what would happen later. This is called great screenwriting. Couple that with very capable direction and this is one impressive film. I think that there's a very promising future ahead for all of the obviously talented people involved in Better Luck Tomorrow. Hats Off!
Some really good acting and a terrific script helps carry the core message of Better Luck Tomorrow. And that message is that although these kids are incredibly smart and in many ways lead adult lives, they're still just kids and aren't emotionally prepared for the kind of situations they find themselves in. The movie does a great job of showing the slow escalation in both pressure and stakes when the boys move from petty teenage scams to real hardcore crime. By the end of the movie you feel like you've accompanied these boys on a very long journey, and not one of them is the same when it's over.
It's also a somewhat disturbing window into the lives of modern high-achieving high schoolers. The filmmakers make what I'm sure was an intentional, searing indictment of the parents of such kids - not one parent is seen or even really talked about in the entire movie. To me the message was obvious - that the parents are so immersed in their own lives that they are content to basically put their children on autopilot as long as, as one character memorably puts it, "the grades are there". I wouldn't be surprised if some people (especially baby boomers) find this way too real to make them comfortable.
The film is paced well and is full of interesting little scenes and bits of dialogue, and they aren't solely for amusement. I realized that many of them were there to obliquely foreshadow what would happen later. This is called great screenwriting. Couple that with very capable direction and this is one impressive film. I think that there's a very promising future ahead for all of the obviously talented people involved in Better Luck Tomorrow. Hats Off!