Director Aneesh Chaganty outdoes himself in his latest film “Searching.” The heartwarming, suspenseful thriller will take you on an emotional roller coaster that is worth experiencing.
“Searching” is every parents’ worst nightmare come to life.
The character David Kim, played by John Cho, thinks he has a good relationship with his daughter, Margot, played by Michelle La. After the passing of Margot’s mother, however, their relationship becomes strained and distant.
One morning, David wakes up to Margot missing. Thirty-seven hours go by without a lead from the police on where she could have gone.
David tries to assist with the investigation to the best of his ability by getting into his daughter’s computer. He finds out that he knows Margot a lot less than he previously assumed.
The movie lures you in with a tear-jerking video montage of the Kim family’s life. This gives you a chance to connect with the characters. Once the story begins, you are sitting on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next.
Related:
REVIEW: ‘The Nun’ fails to impress, but does entertain
Searching has a unique point of view. The story is mostly told through a split screen, where you see John Cho’s character through a webcam. Next to the webcam image is an open social media window.
The way this was filmed is something that isn’t done often. You would think that this style would take away from the film, but with such an amazing cast you can really feel the on-screen chemistry without the characters physically interacting, which was a pleasant surprise.
Cho’s acting hits you hard when you see all the trouble he goes through for his kid. You even start to worry about her yourself; not knowing whether or not Margot was still alive will keep you just as anxious as her father.
You begin to sympathize with David Kim as you watch him lose sleep and become increasingly angry with those who pretend to care about Margot’s disappearance. David becomes frantic when every person and username comes to a dead end.
The plot thickens with twists and turns that will leave you baffled and satisfied.
Watching “Searching” will open your eyes to today’s society, a society blinded by the likes, friend requests and follower counts.
Today’s technology has brought us closer to one another but has also distanced us in so many ways.
Chaganty has created such an intense thriller unlike any other. Personally, I would see this movie again.
Thai Lopez is a freshman in English. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Collegian. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com
