Without a doubt, one of the most original films to hit the big screen this year is Searching.
Searching is a “screen movie,” meaning that the entire format of the film takes place as if it were from the point of view of a screen- be it a laptop, computer monitor, iPhone, or webcam. Much like how The Blair Witch Project revolutionized the “found footage” genre, Searching has the capability to make the genre of “high tech” films a growing staple in the ever-evolving Hollywood medium. Not only is it an astounding feat to create a feature film in this format, but the story itself, of a father’s desperation to find his missing daughter, also stands alone as a chilling and emotional rollercoaster that stays with you long after watching.
David Kim (John Cho) is just trying to put the pieces of life back together after the unexpected death of his wife and family matriarch, Pam (Sara Sohn). Adjusting to life as a single father to their sixteen-year-old daughter Margot (Michelle La), he struggles to connect with the quiet and reserved high school junior. Aside from their weekly TV nights watching The Voice, David assumes Margot is acclimating to this “new normal” on her own terms and at her own pace. That is, until Margot fails to return home from a study group one night, prompting David to do a deep dive through Margot’s past and online history. This brings to light shocking information that causes David to believe that he never really knew his daughter at all.
Fresh off the heels of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, ‘Searching’ has its own statistics that are quite impressive in this current big box office landscape- this is the first mainstream, contemporary thriller headlined by an Asian-American actor.
One woman attempting to help bring Margot home is Detective Rosemary Vick (Debra Messing). Her no-nonsense attitude clicks with David’s unwavering determination, and together, they weed out potential suspects, assemble search parties, and develop a platonic connection that is based on them both being parents. David also leans on his brother Peter (Joseph Lee) during this difficult time, but as days pass without any information, David becomes suspicious that things are not what they seem.
The merging of technology and filmmaking by first time feature director Aneesh Chaganty is a pure adrenaline rush. One doesn’t have to be a millennial or familiar with the latest social media apps or hardware to enjoy the thrills in Searching. In one way or another, we can all sympathize with a parent’s worst nightmare of waking up to discover your child is missing, gone without a trace. The format in which Searching was shot only heightens the suspense and, surprisingly, is never a distraction to the story unfolding.
It is, perhaps, the perfect time for the release of a movie like Searching. Fresh off the heels of Crazy Rich Asians, Searching has its own statistics that are quite impressive in this current landscape of big box office projects. As the first mainstream, contemporary thriller headlined by an Asian-American actor, Cho balances humor, grief, and optimism in his layered performance as a father looking for answers (fulfilling the wishes of the people behind the social movement #StarringJohnCho). On a more somber note, a story of the disappearance of a young woman seemingly out of thin air may remind those of Mollie Tibbetts, the missing Iowa college student who was unfortunately discovered deceased on Tuesday.
Searching premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, and despite its small screen containment, it is best experienced in a theatre. Hopefully, the success that comes from this independent film won’t leave audiences “searching” for Asian-American representation in mainstream movies any longer.
‘Searching’ is rated PG-13 for thematic content, some drug, and sexual references, and for language. 102 minutes. Opening this Friday at ArcLight Hollywood and Sherman Oaks, and AMC Century City.
