In Searching, David Kim (John Cho) is left to pick up the pieces of his and his daughter Margot’s (Michelle La) lives following the death of his wife Pamela (Sara Sohn) from cancer. After going to a classmate’s home to study one night, Margot never returns from the study session and an investigation into her disappearance is launched, headed by Detective Rosemary Vick (Debra Messing). As the police struggle to find leads, David sets out on his own, using Margot’s laptop, phone contacts, and other technology to find clues that could lead him to his daughter.
The first aspect of Searching that stands out is the innovative way in which the film was shot. Director/Co-Writer Aneesh Chaganty makes the bold choice in his feature length debut to depict the entirety of the film on varying types of technological screens that we utilize in our everyday lives, from our cell phones, to laptops, to cameras, to televisions. This perspective adds a voyeuristic feel to the film that aides in conveying a feeling that the viewer is uncovering the mystery at the plot’s center alongside with David, keeping you fully engaged as things unfold. The choice to portray the story in this way also provides a bit of commentary on our technological age as the media coverage around Margot’s death develops. We see her classmates posting YouTube videos exaggerating their closeness for attention, as well as the ugliness that the world wide web has to offer, with trolls making false claims about their involvement in her disappearance and David’s emotional reaction posted on the web for the world to judge. While playing out a story in large part through the visage of computer screens has been done before, such as in 2014’s Unfriended, the multi-screen point of view that allows viewers to see things unfold in a variety of locales rather than just a handful of rooms is a new twist that Chaganty has pulled off flawlessly, with the added bonus of the technique doubling as a narrative device as well.
Thematically, Searching also explores the power of a parent’s love, both its positive and negative aspects. David’s determination to find out what happened to Margot so that could find his daughter is the conventional example of the lengths a parent is willing to go to in order to save their child. Through the use of various modes of technology and dogged determination, David is able to not only aid investigators in the search for Margot, but also remain ahead of them at numerous times, including at pivotal moments in the investigation. His refusal to give up in order to save his daughter was a statement about the lasting power of what a parent feels for their child. Love, however, is a strong emotion and if taken to extremes, can be as dangerous as it is beneficial. Searching puts this duality of parental love on full display as Margot’s case unfolds and takes tragic twists and turns. Being willing to sacrifice anything in order to protect your child is a sign of a caring parent, but if that willingness crosses certain boundaries, what began as protection can easily drift into something more sinister and harmful than what could have befallen your child in the first place. The presentation of the yin and the yang of the need of parents to protect their children is handled with aplumb in Chaganty and co-writer Sev Ohanian‘s script.
The duo must also be commended for the amount of red herrings they managed to include in the thrilling film, both visually and in the writing. At the beginning of the film, after expressing her nervousness over her performance on her final exam, Margot mentions that her teacher Mr. Lee would never fail her, even if she did perform poorly. Following her disappearance, David searches through her text messages hoping to find some clue as to her whereabouts. For astute viewers like me, you notice one text shown onscreen, but unmentioned by David or anyone else, from Margot’s friend that reads “Mr. Lee is a creep.” Convinced of my own observational skills, I was certain these subtle clues were hints toward Mr. Lee’s involvement. However, the unseen teacher is never seen or mentioned again. This is just one example of the various ways the director and writers distract viewers with their left hand so that you are unaware of what the right is doing. Once the mystery truly unravels, the wait is more than worth it and truly comes out of left field.
The acting in the film is of a high level, with John Cho’s leading role as the clear standout. The range of emotion called for he handles deftly, from a grieving widower, to a father who wants to address said grief with his child but is unsure how to, to a grieving and worried father confused as to what to do about another tragedy that has befallen his family. Cho handles them all convincingly and commands the sympathy of the viewer as well as their attention. Debra Messing also shines as Detective Vick, coming off very believably as an officer who shares in the pain of the victims she is fighting, using it to best act on their behalf. Her performance too calls for a changes in demeanor and when called upon, she displays a similar bit of range as Cho. Michelle La appears mostly in pieces of media on a computer as her dad searches for her but her lack of presence in the film’s present does not equal a lack of presence onscreen. On the contrary, La skillfully portrays a young teenage girl trying to cope with the loss of a mother and navigate an inability to properly articulate her pain to her father. The chemistry between she and Cho is palpable even though they only physically appear alongside each other through pictures, save for one brief moment. Searching’s ensemble is also incredibly diverse, with all of the major characters portrayed by actors of Asian descent except for Messing’s. The onscreen diversity is undoubtedly a product of the diverse backgrounds of the film’s producers, writers, and director and is a welcome sight for a demographic often hard pressed for representation. Despite this fact, their race is never the subject of the plot or mentioned much at all, which is icing on the cake; proof that movies can include people of diverse backgrounds while still being just another film at the multiplex.
Searching is a groundbreaking, innovative film that doesn’t just seek to break new ground in its choices, but in addition, remembers the most simple but important aspect of film-making; offering a good product. The film does just that, presenting one of the best thrillers in recent memory that is both unpredictable and engrossing. The mystery on which the plot is based is completely enthralling and captures your attention and interest throughout. Searching also includes a substantial emotional core as viewers embark on a journey with the film’s protagonist that not only allows to a seat by his side as he attempts to unravel the mystery surrounding his daughter, but also invites to share in his pain as deals with the lingering effects of his wife’s death and the pain of his daughter leaving his side as well. The film’s ending did offer the one slight disappointment for me as I found it to be a little unrealistic despite its plausibility. Despite this ray of sunshine offered up to audiences that prefer happy conclusions over realistic ones, this minor misstep of my preference in stories in no way undercuts the totality of Searching’s greatness. This film is one of 2018’s best and hopefully portends a bright future for Aneesh Chaganty in the director’s chair, and John Cho as a leading man when coupled with his performance in 2017’s Columbus. As Hollywood continues to seek diverse faces in front of and behind the camera, Searching is the latest evidence that those efforts will result in substantial rewards.
Image: Screen Gems
