Forget 'AfrAId,' This Is the John Cho Techno-Thriller You Need to Watch

1 week ago 2

Searching

Technology is evolving at a rapid pace and, alongside it is the new subset of horror and thriller films that eagerly tap into the imagined and real fears associated with the digital landscape. This year, we find ourselves terrified by the all-consuming threat of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) in Chris Weitz's futuristic horror, AfrAId. We are introduced to a revolutionary AI assistant that John Cho's Curtis takes home to his family for testing, only for the technology to ruthlessly terrorize the household as its vice-like grip on them tightens. But before Cho leaped into the nightmarish side of technology, he played another father in 2018 who found the online space to be both a blessing and a curse.

Aneesh Chaganty's directorial debut, Searching, is a more measured outlook on technology, both recognizing its unsuspecting dangers and surprising benefits. Filmed entirely within the confines of electronic devices, what sets Searching apart from its similarly gimmicky peers is the underpinning emotional journey. It even earned a spiritual sequel, 2023's Missing, which is set in the same universe and takes on a story with a similar emotional depth. From Cho's visceral performance to the execution of the computer screen format, each element of the film binds together an emotionally driven mystery that we didn't expect to find in such a digital thriller.

What Is 'Searching' About?

Searching opens up with comforting home videos and pictures of a close-knit family: David Kim (Cho), his wife Pam (Sara Sohn), and their daughter Margot (Michelle La). However, when Pam loses her battle with lymphoma, David struggles to connect with his daughter in a meaningful way as their relationship becomes haunted by grief. One night, Margot informs her dad that she will be studying with her biology group all night. The next day, David wakes up to three missed calls from his daughter that came in in the middle of the night and also discovers that she missed school and has not been attending piano classes. After making some calls to her childhood friends, he reasons that she is on a group trip to the mountains where they had limited reception, and keeps his mounting concerns at bay. However, when he discovers that she never went, concern transforms into full-blown panic, and he finally reports her as missing.

Detective Rosemary Vick (Debra Messing) is assigned to his case, and because of the lost time, she allows David to be involved in the investigation, at least on the digital side, since he has access to Margot's laptop. Throughout the film, David turns on his sleuthing abilities and rummages through Margot's personal files, social media platforms, and browsing history. We follow along with his investigation, mentally filing away clues and theorizing sordid outcomes while crossing our fingers for the best. Did Margot run away? Is she abducted? Or is she dead? As David guides us along the twists and turns of this gripping mystery, we are also confronted with his poignant emotional responses to each revelation, and it is this journey that captivates us.

Theoretically, the computer screen-recording, found footage format lends itself to the danger of becoming detached, as the only time we see characters' faces is if they are on video calls or are reliving old footage. It is often difficult to connect with characters with such limited access to their facial expressions or body language, but director Chaganty quickly bypasses this issue, especially in the introduction. The opening sequence that tells the heartfelt tale of Pam's battle with lymphoma immediately sets up the more emotional tone of the film, as Chaganty skillfully guides us through the family's journey merely with home videos, pictures, and even just digital applications. One memorable way he does so is the inclusion of the calendar, where the date of Pam's return from the hospital keeps getting delayed and is eventually deleted. The familiarity of the platform and the simplicity in the way this loss is depicted all lead to a heartache that is reminiscent of Up's provoking opening — who knew you could garner the same poignancy simply with a Microsoft planner?

Throughout the rest of the film, Chaganty applies a similar finesse that renders the impersonal feel of text on screen into something far more intimate. He once again taps into the familiarity of these online platforms, as David clicks onto sites like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. With the internet being so ingrained in our daily lives at this point, it feels almost invasive and deeply personal as we witness David rifling through his daughter's online life. This sentiment is particularly captured during a lengthier and lingering sequence of David resetting passwords to gain access to Margot's accounts, clicking on recognizable "reset password" emails, and building anticipation for what we would eventually find there. Chaganty also seamlessly manages to bypass the restrictions of this medium, as the film branches out to news reports to fill in the gaps where David leaves the house. The impact is twofold, as our investment in the case is maintained through the realism of watching CNN, and we also witness David's gut-wrenching reactions while on site.

Briana McLean as Abigail using FindMargot hashtag in Searching

While social commentary is a core aspect of Searching, its strengths lie in how these ideas interact with the film's more emotional narrative. One of the major themes of the film is how the internet provides a false sense of security and privacy, as we are inclined to escape reality into the void of the online space despite the anonymous sea of accounts that could be lurking around. As such, through Margot's recorded YouChat lives, we are given a glimpse of the character baring her soul to strangers and guilelessly communicating with them. However, from David's perspective, we also see the devastating impact this has on him, as he realizes that she was more comfortable confiding in strangers than him. When heart-wrenchingly realizes that he "never knew his daughter" at all, it not only speaks to the isolation of the digital era but also of grief, as their father-daughter relationship struggles to recover from their shared loss.

This also plays into the voyeuristic aspect of the film’s subtext, as it feels uncomfortable being privy to the information on these personal devices. Throughout the investigation, which becomes a media spectacle, the hashtag #FindMargot surfaces, and it is attached to videos of faux-best friends feeding into the drama and conspiracy theories of David being the culprit. The public's voyeuristic interest in the case lends to the film's social commentary on the superficiality of the internet, as people use a real-life tragedy to propagate their own 15-minute-of-fame agendas. However, it is the public response’s effect on David that captivates us. While he is gathering information in an effort to locate his daughter, he is forced to sift through these videos that only compound his acute feeling of loss. He is angry at how his daughter is being used, frustrated by the dead-ends, and desperate for real leads, and this, of course, hinges on Cho's ability to effectively portray this brutal mix of emotions.

John Cho Takes Us on an Emotional Journey in 'Searching'

As such, Cho’s evolving performance really ramps up the intimacy and intensity of Searching, especially since he is the primary face we see throughout its run-time. He begins as an awkward father who tiptoes around his daughter and struggles to strike the right balance between being strict and approachable. He is comfortable telling her off about not taking out the trash, leading the FaceTime conversation with a light-hearted tone that masks his actual exasperation about it. But he refrains from tearing her a new one over text when he believes she went on a trip without informing him, afraid to upset the precarious ecosystem built between them since Pam's untimely death. Cho's relatable performance resonates with us, making us more invested in the investigation to come, where he spirals into a headrush of heart-breaking emotions.

From the moment David reports Margot as missing, Cho dramatically transforms into the determined, taut, and desperate father who is constantly on the brink of despair or rage. He takes us on a mesmerizing and provocative journey where a quick flummox of emotions always threatens to completely dislodge him. Half the time, he is simply staring at the screen, and thus, Cho's ability to manipulate his facial expressions precisely and hastily is all he needs to tell this story. He has more freedom to shine during the news breaks or when he sets up secret cameras, as his wrought expressions are translated into his body language, demanding our attention at every resounding beat. Cho truly takes us through the throes of grief in Searching, a film where the internet becomes a window to a dad’s struggle with finding and connecting with his daughter.

Searching is available to stream now on Starz in the U.S.

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