Stars: 5/5
For a film where almost every scene is confined to a computer screen, “Searching” was surprisingly captivating. Thriller movies constantly seek to lure audiences with silly gimmicks to seem more original, but “Searching” doesn’t give in to any cheap thrills or storylines. Instead, it gives viewers a sense of real connection with the characters.
David Kim (John Cho) is the widowed father of Margot (Michelle La), a seemingly typical teenage girl and piano marvel. Margot texts her father late one night informing him that she will be at an all-night study session with some friends. David isn’t alarmed or suspicious of this, because he knows that Margot is responsible and won’t get into any trouble.
The next morning, when he doesn’t hear from Margot, he notices her laptop is still at home on the kitchen counter—the first indication that something strange is occurring. When nighttime approaches, and Margot still hasn’t returned, Private Detective Rosemary Vick (Debra Messing) encourages David to go through Margot’s laptop to try to find any clues as to where she went or who she might be with.
As David messages hundreds of her Facebook friends and clicks the “recover password” button quite a few times, he makes some startling discoveries that lead him and the investigation to question Margot’s character.
While parents who view the film may shiver imagining their children going missing, teenagers and young adults cringe at the thought of their parents going through their computers and social media. This film sparks an interesting discussion about teenagers and their rights to privacy. Though parents going through their children’s browser history without consent may be considered taboo, David’s invasion of Margot’s privacy plays a key role in the search for her whereabouts.
This movie does a fantastic job of portraying the internet and technology in an objective point of view. It shows how the internet can sometimes be an unsafe place with people easily accessing personal information and lying about their own, but it also depicts how the internet can be a place to connect with people when interacting in real life is difficult.
John Cho does a fantastic job of playing the father who, despite learning that he may not know his daughter as well as he believes he does, has an unshakable faith in the content of her character.
Aside from a few unnecessary sub-plots, “Searching” is an ambitious, well-constructed film that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. This movie demonstrates how families and friends can become disconnected in real life by being too connected online. “Searching” serves as a reminder to be who we are and to live authentically online and offline.
