The movie “Searching” is entirely shot from the point of view of an iPhone or webcam to revamp the classic storyline. Courtesy of Sony Pictures
By Bryce Lawson
One of Hollywood’s favorite storylines follows a parent’s quest to find their missing child. Aneesh Chaganty’s “Searching” latches onto this trope as John Cho plays David Kim does just that.
Unlike other missing person thrillers, the entire film is shot from the point of view of a webcam or iPhone.
For some, this may come off as a cheap idea, but as the twisted plot unravels, viewers start to get caught up in the story instead of thinking about how this is all taking place on computer and iPhone screens.
The use of old family videos allows the viewer to connect with John Cho and his family, starting with his daughter Margot’s first piano recital, all the way up to her first day at high school. Films like “Up” have used similar techniques to connect the audience with the lead character.
John Cho really proves in this film that he can pull of a dramatic lead role, coming a long way from his comedic “Harold and Kumar” roots. His portrayal of a worried father searching for answers leads viewers on a rollercoaster of emotions. Any time he finds a lead in the search, you feel his excitement, and when he receives devastating news, you fully understand his pain.
For a webcam thriller, “Searching” also deals with some socially relevant themes. In order to find leads on his daughter’s whereabouts, David goes through her Facebook and other social media accounts.
Certain secrets from Margot’s personal life are revealed, showing David that his daughter is not really who he thought she was. Many parents will be able to connect with this theme, and it may even leave them wondering if they really know who their child is.
Leads and research in the film are done through Google and social media. They demonstrate how easy it is to look up someone and find whatever you want to know about them. It is really creepy to see just how far some people are willing to go to cover up things or to hide who they truly are.
Going into this film, I had pretty low expectations. I saw the trailer showing off the gimmicky webcam footage and was completely turned off. This film showed me you can’t always judge a movie based on the trailers.
The only thing that held me back from loving this film was probably the last 20 minutes. Certain aspects of the story go in a direction I wasn’t fully on board with.
This film will leave you appreciating your loved ones and looking at how your actions affect others. If you are looking for a nail-biting thriller that uses different filmmaking techniques, I would definitely check out Searching.
4/5 stars
