Genre: Thriller
Running Length: 1:42
Cast: John Cho, Debra Messing, Michelle La, Joseph Lee, Sara Sohn
Director: Aneesh Chaganty
Director: Aneesh Chaganty
Screenplay: Aneesh Chaganty & Sev Ohanian
What's this movie about?
The narrative of SEARCHING is nothing new - a teenage daughter goes missing and her father David Kim (Cho) goes full frantic to search for her when the police investigation comes to a dead end. The more digging he does, the more questions he unearths.
But what's super engaging about this movie is the stylistic approach the filmmakers chose to unfold this riveting thriller. The entire movie is told from a first person + computer desktop + mobile screen perspective.
But what's super engaging about this movie is the stylistic approach the filmmakers chose to unfold this riveting thriller. The entire movie is told from a first person + computer desktop + mobile screen perspective.
Highlights
When I first saw the trailer, I thought such an approach was gimmicky. But nooo....it's BECAUSE of this method that got me glued to the whole 90+ mins of this film. It's one of those movies that you just can't sit back. Instead, you're forced to lean forward and "participate".
When the movie was over, I felt exhausted - but in a good kind. I just went, "Oh wow".
From a story perspective, it's an effective mystery-thriller with a powerful emotional component. Usually such whodunnit movies defy logic when the big reveal comes. But for Searching, I couldn't help but to feel for the characters. Because when I think about their actions, it was motivated by one thing - love.
Everything about this movie feels absolutely real - the social media effect of getting more likes, how we judge people from their Instagram photos and their captions and the way the texting is written (and deleted).
In terms of the "set pieces", the attention to details are impeccable from the old Windows design to the iconic sounds of the software/programs/apps used in this film.
Lowlights
Eventhough I said the greatest asset of this movie is its stylistic approach but I felt the filmmakers were stretching it too thin towards the last 15 minutes when the proceedings demanded an expansion from the confines of a computer screen.
In summary
When I first saw the trailer, I thought such an approach was gimmicky. But nooo....it's BECAUSE of this method that got me glued to the whole 90+ mins of this film. It's one of those movies that you just can't sit back. Instead, you're forced to lean forward and "participate".
When the movie was over, I felt exhausted - but in a good kind. I just went, "Oh wow".
From a story perspective, it's an effective mystery-thriller with a powerful emotional component. Usually such whodunnit movies defy logic when the big reveal comes. But for Searching, I couldn't help but to feel for the characters. Because when I think about their actions, it was motivated by one thing - love.
Everything about this movie feels absolutely real - the social media effect of getting more likes, how we judge people from their Instagram photos and their captions and the way the texting is written (and deleted).
In terms of the "set pieces", the attention to details are impeccable from the old Windows design to the iconic sounds of the software/programs/apps used in this film.
Lowlights
Eventhough I said the greatest asset of this movie is its stylistic approach but I felt the filmmakers were stretching it too thin towards the last 15 minutes when the proceedings demanded an expansion from the confines of a computer screen.
In summary
A standing ovation for feature film debut director Aneesh Chaganty for such an innovative way of telling a familiar story, thus making SEARCHING fresh but yet retaining all the red herring and suspense elements of a traditional mystery-thriller.
RATING: 9/10
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