Searching (2018)

My Favourite Film of 2018

With the start of a new decade, I wanted to recap some of my favorite films from recent years, starting with the film Searching (2018). The plot is simple: a father (John Cho) desperately searches for his missing teenage daughter. The film’s unique aspect is that it’s shot entirely on screens (computer, phone, TV). While this may seem like a gimmick for those who have yet to see it, I found it to be a great way of updating the traditional thriller for a modern audience, immersing them with the technology they have grown up with and making for a visually exciting experience. As an audience, you are constantly bombarded with new information on the multiple screens and tabs that the story plays out on, keeping you on edge as your focus shifts to each new development. I love films like this that pay immaculate attention to detail in each frame, meaning that an obscure visual reference or a throwaway line of dialogue could prove pivotal during the climax. It is also a perfect film for multiple viewings to read all the important pieces of information that either hint at the ending or act as Easter eggs for more attentive viewers. For example, when the father visits a news site, the secondary news stories on the side may not be related to the main story, but they reveal a secret storyline happening at the exact same time.

What sets the film apart from other missing person thrillers is not only the clever use of various screens, but also the effort to construct characters who feel like real people with understandable motivations. The relationship between father and daughter feels genuine, despite them rarely ever interacting in person together. Both actors did a fantastic job conveying the disconnect in their silences, the regret in things left unspoken. In particular, I loved how the daughter character was written since I saw many similarities between us. Being an Asian kid who is an only child, who learned piano, who felt lonely at school and liked to be alone, and who spends a lot of time online, these character traits made her struggle all the more relatable. This emotional heft is balanced out with brilliant comedic timing, moments when an embarrassing revelation or an abrupt cut during an intense montage catches you by surprise.

I also love a good mystery, and this film delivered in a way that was entertaining and made you care. If you’re good at guessing the twist in films, maybe you’ll find this film predictable, but I was thoroughly riveted from start to finish. When the (multiple) reveals happen at the end, I straight up got chills from the emotional catharsis as well as the creative way it was revealed. Director Chaganty clearly understands the “show don’t tell” principle of storytelling. Try to watch this film with a large audience and just soak in their reactions in these pivotal moments as they slowly realize the implications of what they are seeing.

The film beautifully captures the highs and depraved lows of our internet generation, the ability of technology to bring people together to share lovely memories, while separating them in the real world to the point of alienation, and the cruelty that anonymity provides. I also loved how the film explored media sensationalism and the way people’s behavior change when news of a tragedy spreads. Searching pulls off all this social commentary while never losing sight of the central story. Ultimately, it’s a film about losing connection to those you love, and the self-reflection that comes with trying to reconnect.

I’ll sum it all up by saying this: if I had a machine that could wipe my memory, I would use it everyday just to experience this emotional ride of a film all over again. That’s how much I loved it.