“Searching” (released in theaters last week) is a terrifically well-crafted mystery-thriller. The plot follows a Silicon Valley father’s desperate quest to find his missing 15-year old daughter, aided by a local police detective. The movie keeps the viewer captivated through a staccato series of logical twists and turns, viewed primarily through the father’s interactions with the internet and social media computer screens.
This cinematic approach might appear gimmicky in a lesser director’s hands, but director Aneesh Chaganty uses the technique to perfection for telling the story and expressing the characters’ emotions. Actor John Cho does an excellent job playing the father, and Deborah Messing does a fine job as the police detective. “Searching” is the best new movie I have seen in theaters the past few years.
/sb
