Nothing buys publicity like controversy, and Justin Lin had already maxed out ten credit cards and received $5,000 from MC Hammer to create his film “Better Luck Tomorrow“. So when Roger Ebert unexpectedly stood up after a Sundance showing to defend the film against a critic who pronounced it “empty and amoral to Asian Americans,” Lin’s six-figures of debt fell by the wayside. After a remarkably successful limited release, the film seems guaranteed to pull in profits for MTV Films, who paid a reported $500,000 for distribution rights. The film spirals through the dark side of overachieving “model minority” high school schoolers who embroil their lives in crime. Such, dare I say, mainstream criminal behavior from Asian Americans in a film not involving opium, kung fu, and dragon lady madams is rare. The central theme of defying the perfect student stereotype is echoing well with the very students who are achieving the high expectations typically set for them by their parents. Lin thought carefully about not only the general stereotypes but also the lesser known class conflicts between Asians of different backgrounds. Tired of Hollywood’s Asian status quo, the actors participated in the film for little pay. Actor Jason Tobin’s resume lists the same role over and over: Chinese delivery boy. May this film be a fruitful break in the cycle for everyone involved.