Better Luck Tomorrow

Director Justin Lin flossed some distinguishable talent in his second feature release, but may have come up just a little short on originality. Though seminal for Asian American cinema's acceptance in the mainstream, Lin's style-over-substance effort took a "near mint condition" story and combined it with a knack for emulating Hollywood glitz on an indie budget. With its mainstream detailing, it was hardly a surprise the film was a commercial success, garnering the most widespread theatrical run for an Asian American film since Wayne Wang's Joy Luck Club. But only as time rolls on will Asian American cinema heads really know whether the film resonates to future audiences and earns the groundbreaking stature with which it is heralded.

The DVD is basically the movie with no frills. Its only special features are commentary by the director and co-writers Ernesto M. Foronda and Fabian Marquez. The story begins (for those who missed it) with a stereotype we've all heard: upper-middle-class Asian American high school overachievers whose lives are defined by acceptance...to the Ivy League. The twist then is their social outlet: a double life of petty crime that quickly escalates beyond their control. After a fairly crisp and glossy first act, the film exhibits some loss in writing and pacing, but what's worse, it becomes somewhat unbelievable. BLT's heroes simply have too much gain, not enough loss and too little bite for the truly satiric.

Lin, an Orange County native, has admitted to never having experienced or witnessed first-hand the life he portrays in BLT. Unfortunately, his film has a tendency to expose his naivet�--like a gangster rapper from, well, Orange County. But despite the critique, BLT is definitely worth watching. It has a reactionary quality that, if not artful, is highly relevant to the voice of young Asian Americans today, and as a commercial vehicle for the ingress of Asian American cinema, it just may prove effective.

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