I'm not ready to label the rise of the screen-based thriller as a new step in the evolution of cinematic language just yet, but it's going to be fun to see how filmmakers play around with this concept over the next few years. If we're going to spend 75% of our lives staring at screens, shouldn't movies reflect that reality? The Unfriended flicks started the madness with Final Destination-esque thrills, with this year's Dark Web containing the action to one college graduate's computer screen, allowing the grisly violence to unfold in what feels like real time. Searching takes a markedly different approach, and by my estimation, it's the most thrilling and invigorating use of the format thus far.
While I can't claim to have seen every example of this budding sub-genre, director Aneesh Chaganty's thriller about the search for a missing teenager is the first I've seen to incorporate a tangible sense of kinetic energy, jumping between different screens and underscoring the drama with a nerve-shredding score from Torin Borrowdale. But beyond its steady acceleration of momentum and its use of heart-pounding cinematic devices, this is an involving and thoughtful meditation on family and the digital self in an age where emotional release is often found in the deepest corners of the internet. Yes, it's a gasp-inducing, twist-a-minute mystery, but Chaganty and co-writer Sev Ohanian have gone beyond the gimmick, crafting the kind of thrill ride that could prompt unexpected tears and cheers from the audience.
The film begins with a sequence reminiscent of the wordless opening in Pixar's Up, and if you cried during the chronicle of Carl and Ellie's loving romance, you may find yourself in a similar position here. The brilliant John Cho plays David Kim, a fairly average suburban father who lives in California with Pam (Sara Sohn), his beloved wife. David and Pam have one daughter, Margot, and they enjoy watching her grow up and make friends and take on new interests. Unfortunately, Pam falls ill with cancer, which presents a new challenge for the Kim family to take on. They're thrilled when her disease goes into remission, but a relapse proves to be too tough for Pam to survive. As Margot (now played by Michelle La) reaches her high school years, Pam passes away.
It would be a brutal blow to any family, but it's especially difficult for David and Margot. They have trouble connecting, and the distance between them is obvious even to Peter (Joseph Lee), David's stoner brother. One night, Margot is supposedly attending a study group. She tells her dad that she'll be home at 11 PM. He goes to bed, thinking nothing of it. She calls two times that night.
David has trouble reaching Margot the next day. After several hours, he starts to panic. He gets in contact with Detective Vick (Debra Messing), who opens a missing persons case. She instructs David to give her any information he can about his daughter- who her friends are, what sites she visited, what she did in her free time, etc. David thinks he knows his daughter, but does he really? His findings are frightening, ranging from stolen money to a surprising lack of friends. As the plot thickens, David's despair will deepen even further, causing a facade of stability and calm to crumble under the weight of the pressure. Is there any hope left for Margot?
John Cho is the anchor of this harrowing story, and he continues to prove that he's one of the finest actors of this generation. Beyond his work in the blockbuster Star Trek and Harold and Kumar franchises, Cho has demonstrated his incredible versatility again and again, playing an emotionally stunted griever (please see Kogonada's Columbus if you haven't already) with the same level of precision as a fairly traditional, hard-boiled detective (hell, see Aaron Katz's Gemini while you're at it). He has such an expressive face, often communicating so much with so little. As David, Cho leans into the character's downward spiral, embracing both the suburban dad quirks and the disturbing breakdowns. Everything is filtered through David's perspective, a smart move that lends gravity and a sense of shock to each twist and turn.
And make no mistake, there are plenty of shocks in store for unsuspecting audiences. The film is practically designed to elicit the biggest gasps possible, but there's never any doubt that Chaganty is in total control of this material. He display a stunning command of information, doling out bread crumbs and red herrings before spinning you around to reveal what you were missing all along. Perhaps this explains the film's satisfying bursts of humor, which often emerge from contradictions and misconceptions, even in dark moments where levity seems unlikely. However, as someone who is almost unfathomably bad at predicting movies, I must admit that I saw the writing on the wall. Some of the ultimate revelations aren't all that surprising, and the film tips its hand a little too early.
But Searching's twisty inevitability is overshadowed by its profound poignancy; the film is often so touching and heartbreaking that any narrative troubles feel insignificant in comparison. Chaganty's framework of tragedy and grief allows Margot's secret online life to feel authentic and understandable, especially in light of her fractured relationship with her father. In media studies classes, the digital self (the person we pretend to be online vs. in real life) is an object of fascination, but it's often presented as a distortion of our true nature, rather than a natural extension of our personality. The film understands that being online provides a relief, even if it's just finding someone who will listen for a few minutes. When coupled with the actual narrative roller-coaster, Chaganty's thematic exploration results in an emotional payoff that feels truly earned, an increasing rarity in a manipulative age.
To be perfectly, shamelessly honest with you, I nearly teared up at the end. For a movie that enjoys digging into the mechanics of social media and the mania that comes with a very public case (hashtags and fake friends and Twitter, oh my!), Searching maintains its empathetic core throughout. It's a wonderful twist on a budding new formula, and it's a powerful treat to watch it all unfold.
If screen-based thrillers are the way of the future, we can only hope they're all as good as this one.
THE FINAL GRADE: A- (8.7/10)
Images courtesy of Sony
While I can't claim to have seen every example of this budding sub-genre, director Aneesh Chaganty's thriller about the search for a missing teenager is the first I've seen to incorporate a tangible sense of kinetic energy, jumping between different screens and underscoring the drama with a nerve-shredding score from Torin Borrowdale. But beyond its steady acceleration of momentum and its use of heart-pounding cinematic devices, this is an involving and thoughtful meditation on family and the digital self in an age where emotional release is often found in the deepest corners of the internet. Yes, it's a gasp-inducing, twist-a-minute mystery, but Chaganty and co-writer Sev Ohanian have gone beyond the gimmick, crafting the kind of thrill ride that could prompt unexpected tears and cheers from the audience.
The film begins with a sequence reminiscent of the wordless opening in Pixar's Up, and if you cried during the chronicle of Carl and Ellie's loving romance, you may find yourself in a similar position here. The brilliant John Cho plays David Kim, a fairly average suburban father who lives in California with Pam (Sara Sohn), his beloved wife. David and Pam have one daughter, Margot, and they enjoy watching her grow up and make friends and take on new interests. Unfortunately, Pam falls ill with cancer, which presents a new challenge for the Kim family to take on. They're thrilled when her disease goes into remission, but a relapse proves to be too tough for Pam to survive. As Margot (now played by Michelle La) reaches her high school years, Pam passes away.
It would be a brutal blow to any family, but it's especially difficult for David and Margot. They have trouble connecting, and the distance between them is obvious even to Peter (Joseph Lee), David's stoner brother. One night, Margot is supposedly attending a study group. She tells her dad that she'll be home at 11 PM. He goes to bed, thinking nothing of it. She calls two times that night.
David has trouble reaching Margot the next day. After several hours, he starts to panic. He gets in contact with Detective Vick (Debra Messing), who opens a missing persons case. She instructs David to give her any information he can about his daughter- who her friends are, what sites she visited, what she did in her free time, etc. David thinks he knows his daughter, but does he really? His findings are frightening, ranging from stolen money to a surprising lack of friends. As the plot thickens, David's despair will deepen even further, causing a facade of stability and calm to crumble under the weight of the pressure. Is there any hope left for Margot?
John Cho is the anchor of this harrowing story, and he continues to prove that he's one of the finest actors of this generation. Beyond his work in the blockbuster Star Trek and Harold and Kumar franchises, Cho has demonstrated his incredible versatility again and again, playing an emotionally stunted griever (please see Kogonada's Columbus if you haven't already) with the same level of precision as a fairly traditional, hard-boiled detective (hell, see Aaron Katz's Gemini while you're at it). He has such an expressive face, often communicating so much with so little. As David, Cho leans into the character's downward spiral, embracing both the suburban dad quirks and the disturbing breakdowns. Everything is filtered through David's perspective, a smart move that lends gravity and a sense of shock to each twist and turn.
And make no mistake, there are plenty of shocks in store for unsuspecting audiences. The film is practically designed to elicit the biggest gasps possible, but there's never any doubt that Chaganty is in total control of this material. He display a stunning command of information, doling out bread crumbs and red herrings before spinning you around to reveal what you were missing all along. Perhaps this explains the film's satisfying bursts of humor, which often emerge from contradictions and misconceptions, even in dark moments where levity seems unlikely. However, as someone who is almost unfathomably bad at predicting movies, I must admit that I saw the writing on the wall. Some of the ultimate revelations aren't all that surprising, and the film tips its hand a little too early.
But Searching's twisty inevitability is overshadowed by its profound poignancy; the film is often so touching and heartbreaking that any narrative troubles feel insignificant in comparison. Chaganty's framework of tragedy and grief allows Margot's secret online life to feel authentic and understandable, especially in light of her fractured relationship with her father. In media studies classes, the digital self (the person we pretend to be online vs. in real life) is an object of fascination, but it's often presented as a distortion of our true nature, rather than a natural extension of our personality. The film understands that being online provides a relief, even if it's just finding someone who will listen for a few minutes. When coupled with the actual narrative roller-coaster, Chaganty's thematic exploration results in an emotional payoff that feels truly earned, an increasing rarity in a manipulative age.
To be perfectly, shamelessly honest with you, I nearly teared up at the end. For a movie that enjoys digging into the mechanics of social media and the mania that comes with a very public case (hashtags and fake friends and Twitter, oh my!), Searching maintains its empathetic core throughout. It's a wonderful twist on a budding new formula, and it's a powerful treat to watch it all unfold.
If screen-based thrillers are the way of the future, we can only hope they're all as good as this one.
THE FINAL GRADE: A- (8.7/10)
Images courtesy of Sony
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