TIFF Next Wave Presents: Better Luck Tomorrow

TIFF Next Wave Presents: Better Luck Tomorrow
Playing as part of this programme:
Better Luck Tomorrow
Justin Lin
United States of America | 2002 | 101m | English

Introduction by TIFF Next Wave Committee member Arjun Persaud.

35mm print!

Better Luck Tomorrow, while now known as an unofficial precursor to the Fast and Furious series, marked the humble and provocative beginning for blockbuster staple Justin Lin. A grassroots indie funded largely by Lin, the film follows the academic ― and eventually criminal ― exploits of Asian-American teenagers during the 2000s, while aptly capturing the haze of the era through a nostalgia-trodden 35mm lens. By day, the group of suburban high school seniors are straight-A students, but by night, their hunger to break from the mould leads them down a path of escalating criminal activity.

At once sleek and subversive, this comedic coming-of-age–meets–crime thriller packs a punch. The film’s title, as described by Lin, speaks to the inspiration for the story, evoking a feeling of teenage angst and a sense of hopelessness and fury. Lin skillfully flips the script on “model-minority” stereotypes surrounding Asian-American teens, while thoughtfully exploring issues of race, class, masculinity, and the experience of young people growing up in capitalist America. Twenty years and a blockbuster franchise later, Lin’s Better Luck Tomorrow is an energetic and disturbing standout debut that remains as topical and resonant as ever.

ARJUN PERSAUD, TIFF Next Wave Committee Member

Official Selection, 2002 Toronto International Film Festival

Content advisory: violence, drug use, sexually suggestive scenes, coarse language

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