Title: Searching
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Aneesh Chaganty
Starring: John Cho, Michelle La, Debra Messing
Runtime: 1 hr 42 mins

What It Is: David Kim (John Cho), a widower and single parent, is raising his daughter Margot (Michelle La). Margot is a bright, kind, and thoughtful girl and all he has left in his life. Every day is a battle as they move on without the mother, but just as things are beginning to seem normal again– tragedy hits when Margot does not return home from a study group session. David now goes on the search to find his daughter hoping she not dead, but alive.

What We Think: Searching has you invested from the beginning and to the end of this movie. There is an extreme plot twist, excellent character development, invested actors, flawless editing, and a simple yet fantastic story. What makes this film’s concept even more interesting is how everything is seen through the eyes of a computer. Yet the live action scenes that are edited to look like it is on the computer are so flawless, it is so easy to forget you are watching the story unfold in this format. The characters are developed very well, and the actors really make this story believable.  John Cho’s performance of David Kim was outstanding. He made the audience believe that he was Margot’s dad, that this was his daughter missing, and that she was his everything. The character of David Kim came to life, and as the main character of the film, that is truly important– and he nailed it. Searching has thrills, laughs, tears, and suspense; it has everything and more to leave you at the edge of your seat.

Our Grade: A, The story was very well executed and compelling, but the real magic came from the actors. The cast is exceptionally talented and brought this story to life. Every scene in the movie felt very real which kept the audience, including me, invested all the way from the beginning to the very end. This movie is a must-watch and must be experienced on the big screen.