Better Luck Tomorrow

MilkTea, in collaboration with the BFI, present Better Luck Tomorrow - the seminal feature by Justin Lin - showing theatrically on 35mm for the very first time in the UK on 22 January 2023 at BFI Southbank.

Before Crazy Rich Asians ushered in a new exciting age of representation of Asians in Hollywood, there was Better Luck Tomorrow - a bold film featuring an ensemble of compelling delinquents that flipped the social construct & falsehood that Asians are the model minority.  When the film launched at the Sundance Film Festival it was not without its detractors - at an explosive screening a critic disparaged the film, “why, with the talent up there and yourself, make a film so empty and amoral for Asian Americans and for Americans?” Outraged with this line of questioning, the legendary critic Roger Ebert sharply defended the film & its makers  “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?'”

Better Luck Tomorrow is the darkly comedic story of overachieving, affluent & bored Asian American high schoolers who dabble in petty crime; their side scams and casual drug dealing quickly escalate into mayhem & more. Made for only $250K & directed by Justin Lin, who would go on to receive acclaim for his directorial work on the Fast & Furious franchise. Better Luck Tomorrow cemented itself as a beloved film that transgressed boundaries set by the status quo & introduced to the world the talent of John Cho, who revelled in the rare opportunity to inhabit a role unencumbered by stereotyping. 

At our retrospective screening, we rediscovered the power of Better Luck Tomorrow, a film that has as much to say about what it means to be Asian today as it did 20 years ago.

This special screening featured an introduction from screenwriter Chris Cornwell, a live spoken word performance of Sunny by Sky Yang followed by a live Q&A with Justin Lin & journalist, writer & presenter, Zing Tsjeng. As part of this special event, MilkTea are spotlighted the next generation of ESEA directors in the UK - you can learn more about them here. MilkTea also commissioned an essay by film writer, Ian Wang and new illustration by Ellen Li - you can see both here.

******

Justin Lin is a Taiwanese American director whose films have grossed over $2.3 billion globally. He is best known for the Fast & Furious franchise & has directed television including True Detective, Warrior & Community. Better Luck Tomorrow was his solo directorial debut.

Zing Tsjeng is a journalist with over 10 years of experience across print, online & broadcast media as an editor, writer & presenter. She currently acts as VICE UK’s Executive Editor, where she specialises in arts, culture, identity & current affairs, & has written for publications such as British Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Time Out London & more.

Sky Yang is a London based actor, writer & director. He is currently starring in Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon & was recently seen in the TV series Holding & Halo. His short film, Sunny was programmed as part of Mixtape Vol. 1.

Chris Cornwell was born in Bangkok & grew up in Boston & London. In 2013, he wrote Exit Log, which won the Bombay Sapphire Imagination Series & premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2014. He is an alumnus of the National Film & Television School & his recent credits include Discovery of Witches (Bad Wolf/Sky) & Strike Back (Left Bank/Sky).

Thank You To Our Sponsors

Moo Boo

Established in 2012, Mooboo Bubble Tea was set up in response to a growing demand, aiming to bridge the gap between Eastern cultures and Western tastes. As the UK's largest Bubble Tea operator, Mooboo Bubble Tea has dedicated itself to providing the most scrumptious, enjoyable Bubble Tea to different communities all over the UK - one drink, one passion and one community at a time since 2012. 

Learn more about Moo Boo here.