Searching

September 4, 2018 at 1:13 pm | Posted in 2018 | Leave a comment
Tags: Aneesh Chaganty, Debra Messing, Drama, John Cho, Joseph Lee, Michelle La, Movie Review, Mystery

◊ ◊ ◊

This is one of those reviews where I am not quite sure how much I should say. I went into this movie knowing nothing except that it had a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and starred John Cho (the current “Star Trek” movies, the “Harold & Kumar” movies, “Columbus”). I am so glad I did that, as it allowed the film to surprise me. So, I will say this, the story itself is not the interesting thing here. In fact, the actual story is rife with most of the standard clichés for a mystery/detective story. If the film had been shot in the standard way, it would make a decently entertaining Netflix show; like all the European detective procedurals I have been watching lately, it would be interesting enough to binge on for a few days. However, what takes this film to the next level is the way it was shot, and I think that’s all I want to say about that. Director Aneesh Chaganty, in his first full-length film, has found a way to tap into this exact moment in our culture. “Searching” will seem utterly quaint 20 years from now and would have been utterly confusing 20 years ago, but it speaks very effectively to right now. Chaganty cleverly uses technology to tell his story and create tension, humor, pathos, mystery, etc. All the clues to solve the puzzle are there on screen, though he does sometimes get a little heavy-handed at pointing out the connections when he wants the audience to get it. I’m not sure how many people will give this film a chance, but I’m glad I saw it. In fact, I’m really glad; I was entertained from start to finish. Oh, and by the way, I picked the trailer that seemed like it would least give away what I am talking about, but you might still figure the gimmick out, so watch it at your own risk.