Movie Review: “Searching”

There is a new movie genre in town – well, maybe not so much a genre but more a medium of storytelling that has the possibility to lend itself to multiple genres. “Screen life” films, where the entire movie plays out on phone and computer screens, came to the forefront with the 2014 horror flick “Unfriended”; but is employed much more effectively and skilfully in “Searching”. This movie is a good case in point for the genre and Timur Bebkambetov, the producer of both movies, would definitely be happy with the result.

“Searching” is a mystery thriller which follows single parent David Kim (John Cho), as he searches for his missing daughter Margot (Michelle La) by navigating various tools like her laptop, her social media and the internet. Not only is it an interesting premise, it is one that lends itself especially well to the “screen life” genre – it feels like we are part of the investigation with David, as we also scour the screen for clues. It creates a very immersive and engaging experience, and the audience is fully invested as the proceedings unfold through various screens including browsers, video calls, security cam footage and news footage; to name a few. This is achieved by a tight screenplay, masterful direction and fine performances.

The screenplay very cleverly uses the medium at hand to give a very relatable feel – not surprising given the fact that we live in a world where we are all completely “online” and staring at various devices pretty much all the time. A big plus is that the writers trust the audience’s intelligence (for the most part) and allows them to navigate the investigation with David. The writing should also be appreciated for its subtlety and thematic elements – not only does it focus on the obvious ideas like how much of our life we live online, and how easy it would be for someone to get a sense of us based on our online activity; it also touches on themes of parenthood and family through the proceedings without overtly putting it out there.

Full marks to the director Aneesh Chaganty (this is his first full length feature, and he has co-written the movie with Sev Ohanian) for the near-flawless execution, as he pushes the plot forward masterfully and creates an edge-of-your-seat thriller using the seemingly unlikely medium perfectly. The unfolding of events purely on screens never feels gimmicky, jarring or restrictive (something that “Unfriended” never really achieved) – instead, the format feels like an obvious choice. Even with restrictions like mostly locked shots where the camera cannot move around, it does not take away from the performances or the tension.

Speaking of performances, John Cho is excellent as David – the angst and anguish in his performance is palpable, yet it is a restrained turn which is exactly what the character needs. The other cast members are very good as well, especially Debra Messing as the sympathetic detective assigned to Margot’s case.

I highly recommend “Searching” – it shows that new mediums, if used effectively, can make for an extremely engaging movie experience.