Searching - Review Thread

I know next to nothing about this except it's kind of an Unfriended style, has John Cho in it, what the poster looks like, and that it's supposed to be really good. I think I'm going to keep myself that uninformed until I can see it for myself. I want to keep maximum surprise factor for this movie.

I haven't even seen the trailer. I just thought the poster was weird and looked it up on Wikipedia. Sounded intriguing so I'm going to check it out blind.

Seeing that John Cho is a dick, I'll be passing on this one.

Aw now I'm afraid to Google it. I've always liked the dude and was glad he finally got a leading role.

Loved it.

When the term gimmick is used when describing a film's aesthetic, it's far more often than not used with a negative connotation generally denouncing the movie as having little substance to coincide with the style.  From 3D to all shot in first person POV (like Hardcore Henry from a couple years ago), cinema has a long history with gimmicks to tell familiar stories with a different spin.  And yes, I would agree with the general consensus that gimmicks in films largely outstay their welcome and do little to utilize that style to generate substance that feels fresh and mirrors whatever vehicle is being used to push the medium.  But that's also what makes the successful "gimmicks" stand out when done well.  I suppose in a way, anything that's considered high concept could also be considered somewhat of a gimmick (though I'd argue that it would be more a style in many cases).  It's no small feat to set highly constricting rules for a film, such as it all taking place in one room or the movie has no cuts or the movie has no dialogue, whatever, and keep that concept moving over 100 minutes.  It's where most of these "gimmick" films fall flat, because despite setting itself up in intriguing fashion is unable to sustain itself over time, especially once the audience has settled into the rules of the film, have become familiar with them, and now are faced with a generic story they've seen several times.  Can a gimmick film be truly successful?  Well, the latest film to attempt that is Searching where the entirety of the film takes place on screens of various kinds.  While it's largely on computer screens, the film also extends itself to webcams, cell phones, news footage, and even surveillance video, but never breaks from this rule, gimmick, style, whatever you want to label it as.  Only this time the gimmick actually coincides with the plot and the movie's theme, an important distinction to keep in mind.  First time filmmaker Aneesh Chaganty, who has a background working in Silicon Valley, isn't throwing up a high concept at the wall simply for style but rather is doing so to further emphasize the pitfalls of social media, how we communicate with each other, and how we can hide behind screens and carve out new identities.  While none of these themes are particularly fresh, and we've certainly seen much more devilish versions of these very themes in superior episodes of Black Mirror, Chaganty successfully proves that this is no cheap gimmick, but rather a clever stylistic choice that elevates what would have been a pretty standard thriller.

Searching centers on David Kim (John Cho), your typical mid-to-late thirties American dad who lost his wife Pam (Sara Sohn) two years ago.  He now clings to their only child Margot (Michelle La), trying to put on a strong face for her each day though it's quickly clear that the two are only relatively close and are grieving at a distance from one another.  David begins to worry when Margot doesn't return home on a Friday, and his worst fears are confirmed as he realizes that no one has seen her for almost a day and that she's moved a large amount (for a teenager) of cash into an unknown account.  He alerts the authorities that she's missing, bringing Detective Vick (Debra Messing) into the case to head the investigation.  David isn't satisfied though with the pace at which the case is moving, knowing very well that every moment that passes by makes Margot's safe return less and less likely.  With the help of his younger brother, Peter (Joseph Lee), David frantically combs Margot's internet breadcrumbs in order to piece together who she really was and what she's really been up to.  David reaches out to Facebook friends, watches saved webcasts, and peruses her texts and emails all shot in tightly framed, fast moving images that all plays out on screens.  It's effective stuff, and I can gladly say that the film never feels repetitive or restricting as a result of this stylistic choice.  I'll reiterate that the "gimmick" here really isn't one at all, because the film is using this technique to directly portray a story of both the perils and beauty of technology.  It also helps that we're being guided by Cho through the film, as he does an excellent job here playing the concerned parent with a believable apprehension towards the case as he continues to sift through clues.  David isn't a bad parent or an out of touch one; in fact he's quite tech savvy (though he doesn't know Tumblr or the casting site Margot uses) which makes his quest for information move at a brisk pace but never loses sight of plausibility.  John Cho has proved himself to carry a dramatic film, and while his character isn't a largely remarkable one, it's a solid showcase of what direction Cho's career could be moving towards.  

Though I admire the elements in Searching, for me there isn't a lot to digest both thematically and narratively by the film's end, and it's certainly not a movie that demands a revisit.  There are multiple occasions where things feel very contrived, especially in regards to some of the news footage handling (reporters simply don't do commentary the way they do here) and even situations where a screen is being utilized.  The film's final reveals work, and certainly don't take a leap of faith to believe in, but they don't have the shocking impact you'd maybe hope for.  The film really isn't a very sinister one, and unfortunately for a story set against the backdrop of the nastiness of the internet preying on a vulnerable girl, it never pushes the audience into uncomfortable or shocking territory.  I personally never found myself hanging on the edge of my seat, or frantically trying to piece together the clues as more information trickled in.  It's a movie that moves briskly and never feels like an overload of information, but the revelations are hardly ever more than a mild "a-ha!" moment.  But then again, I suppose I should still praise the film for not veering off into absurd territory either, and while the climactic twist isn't the gut punch you're hoping for, it's not going to wholly make you roll your eyes either.  

Another element that is only touched upon on surface level is how we use technology to mask who we really are, inflate our egos, and be downright nasty towards one another.  You have some intriguing ideas here from the "friend" of Margot who hardly knows her but is using her disappearance to bolster her tear-ridden viral videos and self-worth to the apathetic and cruel comments made about the case that reflect a sadly all too real reality that we live in.  It's almost as if Chaganty is playing with the idea that people don't view the internet as falling under the same social standards we hold ourselves to in the real world, or perhaps that this is people's true nature and on the internet the stakes aren't as high and they can be who they want to be.  It's interesting but never as deeply thematic as one would hope for, though Searching is never preachy either.  Chaganty isn't depicting technology as good or bad, but rather the deepest reflection of ourselves.  Some, like David, use this technology to connect with family, search for Margot, store happy memories, while others use it to flaunt their own self-satisfaction and blatant narcissism.  It's a great thing and a shallow one all at once.  Again, this isn't groundbreaking stuff, and never does Searching fully tangle itself in this and create a darker, more dangerous thriller as a result.  Still though, for a film that can at the outset be dismissed as a gimmick, a high concept that doesn't deserve the be on the big screen, Searching certainly has a lot more going for it that should quiet most naysayers.  This is a film that's actually largely elevated by its "gimmick", taking what would be a fairly routine missing person thriller and shaping it into a commentary on how technology can enhance or ruin lives.  Searching isn't going to stick with you long after viewing it, but in terms of enjoying a late summer, early fall thriller with a style all its own, it more than gets the job done.

7/10