Miss & Mrs. Cops (2019) [Film Review]

Miss & Mrs. Cops; or, Ra Mi Ran to the Rescue
     The first round's always a blank, 5 chambers, giving you 5 to 1 odds. But you're a criminal, so 5 to 2. I'll shoot twice. If I hit a live one, you can say adios to this life. If I don't… Who knows.
Being in the mood for a buddy cop adventure flick, I grabbed Jung Da Won’s Miss & Mrs. Cops (original title: Girl Cops) primarily because it promised just that and also had the glorious Ra Mi Ran in the leading role. The movie is an interesting mix between action and comedy, with a touch of girl power vibes.

Release Info

Directed by: Jung Da Won Starring: Ra Mi Ran, Lee Sung Kyung, Choi Soo Young, Yoon Sang Hyun

Language: Korean Original Title: 걸캅스 Runtime: 107 min

Synopsis
Mi Yeong (Ra Mi Ran) for years used to be a top police officer at the Major Crimes Unit, but after having a baby, she was forced to perform a desk job, handling civil complaints. Her sister-in-law, Ji Hye (Lee Sung Kyung), is also a detective, but due to her hot-headed attitude, she was transferred to Mi Yeong’s squad. The two women obviously can’t stand each other, but they eventually join forces in order to solve a strange case. Namely, someone drugs and rapes innocent women, only to threaten them later with “spy cam adult” videos. Mi Yeong and Ji Hye take matters into their own hands and discover a gangster ring which runs a drug-dealing business.

Lethal Runners
Miss & Mrs. Cops is a straightforward action flick with a simple plot and colorful characters. The movie carefully ticks the main bullet points from other unforgettable cop films, such as Lethal Weapon (1989) and Midnight Runners (2017). However, there is also room for some witty dialogue and a little bit of slapstick as well (the tattoo scene!). In other words, you are going to laugh a lot. The sismance between Ra Mi Ran and Lee Sung Kyung is the driving force of this picture.

I totally did not expect that, but I am pleased to see that Ra Mi Ran actually engages into a lot of fist fights. The role of a kickass police officer is quite a departure from her other cinematic characters, but I’m glad that the actress went for this challenge.

The supporting characters did extremely well, too. I liked Yoon Sang Hyun as the useless husband and Wi Ha Joon as the main villain. Even Hu Jung Woo has a small but hilarious cameo as the hotel receptionist!

In addition, the production design as well cinematography was top notch. All the sets, especially the gangster’s hideout felt very lavish, and quick shots in action scenes only enhanced the gravity of the scenes. However, in my opinion, the music score (composer not specified on IMDb) is a bit of a letdown. The OST feels monotonous at times and does not pump up the most important sequences. This is my only problem with the film

Recommendations
If you are on the lookout for an enjoyable picture to spend an afternoon with family or friends, then I recommend Miss & Mrs. Cops. You can never go wrong with Ra Mi Ran, and I strongly hope that she will return to this genre in the future. We definitely need more Asian movies about female detectives.Overall score: 7/10

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Honest Candidate (2020) [Film Review]

Honest Candidate; or, Vote for Joo Sang Seok!
      But we're platonic at this point. Our home is the capital of friendzone and I'm the mayor!
When the first trailer for Honest Candidate dropped in December, 2019, I was extremely hyped because of the amazing Ra Mi Ran, but due to the raging pandemic, the premiere passed me by and, just recently, I remembered about the film and checked it out. The movie directed by Chang Yoo Jung, and inspired by a 2014 Brazilian production O Candidato Honesto is a clever reinvention of the not-being-able-to-lie formula, introduced by Liar, Liar (1997) film with Jim Carrey.

Release Info

Directed by: Chang Yoo Jung Starring: Ra Mi Ran, Kim Mu Yeol, Na Moon Hee

Language: Korean Original Title: 정직한 후보 Runtime: 104 min

Synopsis
Joo Sang Seok (Ra Mi Ran) is a third-term congresswoman who tries to get re-elected for the fourth time. Although she started out as an honest social activist, raised by her grandmother, Kim Ok Hee (Na Moon Hee), she gradually became a standard, untruthful politician, doing shady deals with other congressmen. While Joo Sang Seok hopes to win the elections, her grandmother makes a wish that Joo Sang Seok become an honest person again. As a result, the politician suddenly finds herself unable to tell a lie. In order to protect Joo Sang Seok from uncomfortable situations during the campaign, her personal advisor, Park Hee Chul (Kim Mu Yeol), and family members step into action. Eventually, they decide to use Joo Sang Seok’s truthfulness as the game-changing aspect of the elections. She becomes an honest candidate.

Lie to Me
I gave the film a try thinking that it will be a well-made remake of Liar, Liar, but it turned out to be much more than that! Honest Candidate is a fast roller coaster filled with comedy, brutal satire of modern politics, and a touch of family drama. Ra Mi Ran steals this movie from the very minute with her epic acting.

Having known the actress from Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005) and Reply 1988 (2015), I am completely gobsmacked by her acting range and excellent comedic timing. I could not get enough of Ra Mi Ran’s hilarious facial expressions and fits of rage. She totally rocks and carries the whole movie.

Apart from the comedy, I also appreciated the light moments with Joo Sang Seok’s husband (Yon Gyung Ho) and son (Jang Dong Jo). Evidently, the most touching scenes of the film are the ones with the grandma character, but they surprisingly work in the story. Actor Kim Mu Yeol also has an opportunity to shine, even though his role is just a supporting one. The interactions between the main heroine and the advisor are really sweet.

Director Chang Yoo Jung might not have extensive filmography, but she certainly knows how to cook up light-hearted flicks with heartwarming messages (for instance, Finding Mr. Destiny (2010) and The Bros (2017)). Honest Candidate may be considered to be a remake but thanks to a thoughtful script and brilliant performance of Ra Mi Ran it very much stands on its own.

Recommendations
If you are in the mood for a happy-go-lucky comedy without unnecessary ideological preaching, then I recommend Honest Candidate. Get that ballot and cast your vote for her. Once you hear “Candidate no.1 Joo Sang Seok” election song, you won’t be able to get it out of your head! Here’s hoping that Ra Mi Ran will continue making more movies like this one.
Overall score: 8/10

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