"My new Partner"

("Mai Nyu Pateuneo") (South Korea)�

An M Plus Pictures release of a KM Culture production. (International sales: KM Culture, Seoul.) Produced by Yu Jae-hyeong. Executive producer, Park Mu-seung. Directed, written by Kim Jong-hyun.
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With: Ahn Sung-ki, Jo Han-seon, Jeong Seok-yong, Jo Jin-woong, Choi Il-hwa, Park Cheol-min.

Armed this time around with father-son tensions, the South Korean police-buddy genre gets another makeover with "My New Partner," an engaging if unremarkable crimer. Subgenre has a solid local history since the "Two Cops" franchise of the '90s, this time featuring revered vet Ahn Sung-ki side by side with young heartthrob Jo Han-seon. Pic drew mild B.O. when it opened in early March.

Rapid opening montage identifies Kang Min-ho (Ahn), a disgraced, corrupt cop, and his straight-laced son, Kang Yeong-jun (Jo), who's set to redeem his father's misdeeds by being a better policeman than dad ever was. Eight years later, a sting at a Seoul amusement park -- impressively staged as a roller-coaster chase -- leads Yeong-jun to pursue a suspect south to the port city of Busan. The suspect proves elusive, but Yeong-jun discovers his long-missing father running the very police station the young detective must now commandeer. Script delivers ample opportunities for father and son to score emotional points, and both direction and performances are solid, but whole shebang has a brainstormed, paint-by-numbers feel. Technical package is top-notch.

© Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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