Director Justin Lin’s new release, “Better Luck Tomorrow,” has audiences buzzing all over the nation.

The director cast all Asians because he was tired of the lack of roles and stereotypical representation of Asian-American actors in film.

“I strove to create a film space that did not define Asian Americans in opposition to ‘whiteness,’ but rather, to establish them as active participants in the ever-evolving face of Americana,” said Lin on the film’s Web site, www.betterlucktomorrow.com.

“Better Luck Tomorrow” takes us on a journey into the minds of four Asian-American high school boys. Ben Manibag, played by Perry Shen , is a typical overachiever who spends his time obsessing over SATs and lusting after the unreachable girl, Stephanie (Karin Anna Cheung). Ben and his upper-middle-class friends, Virgil, Daric and Han, realize that academic success gives them a pass to do whatever they want, whenever they want.

They have a great plan to sell cheat sheets and do well, but soon become greedy. When the guys feel their cheat-sheet gig has lost its appeal, they decide to up their game, graduating to drug dealing and embracing the gangster lifestyle. They push life to the limits and love every minute of it. This is a movie that has been made a million times, except that the role normally played by pampered white preppies instead is replaced by Asian Americans.

The movie mainly deals with the stereotypes of Asian Americans in our culture. People think Asian Americans are just smart without an edge. This movie is out to prove that the stereotype is wrong. But while trying to break free from those, the movie puts them into more stereotypes, like those of overachievers.

The actors were believable even though they lacked film experience. The cinematographer had an obsession throughout the film for extreme close ups, leaving no room for error in a scene. Combined with a hot musical soundtrack, the movie is made well.

After being nominated for the Grand Jury award at the Sundance Film Festival, the film was picked up for distribution by MTV films. With the backing of MTV, this opened the door for advertising. Ads ran on MTV for the past month hyping the movie to the public, especially to the younger crowd.

Everything about the movie is entertaining; not a scene goes by where something interesting doesn’t happen. “Better Luck Tomorrow” provides a new twist on an old scenario. Expect to see more from Jason Lin in the near future.