Director Aneesh Chaganty`s latest release Searching (Rated PG-13) deals with the emotional turmoil that comes with the baggage of seeking out a loved one that goes missing. Upon first hearing about it, audiences might presume that it`s a generic detective story with the same plotlines and events. However, Searching is way more than that. The whole movie features scenes shot predominately on social media, the internet, and modes of communication (i.e. Facebook, Google, iMessage, FaceTime, etc.)

More specifically, the movie follows widower David Kim (played by John Cho), who deals with the sudden night-time disappearance of his 16 year-old daughter Margot (played by Michelle Lea). With the help of Detective Rosemary Vick (played by Emmy-winner Debra Messing), he attempts to track her down via her laptop by delving into her social media accounts and online search/message history.

What makes this film particularly engaging is the actors’ interactions with their electronic devices, and how the actors interact with one another. The performances from Cho and Messing are top-notch to the point that you think you’re glimpsing the lives of real people dealing with a relevant situation in this day and age.

Searching lasts only one hour and forty-two minutes, but it’s a film that keeps you cruising along the many twists and turns without making you feel the briefest touch of boredom.

Final Rating: 5/5 (Highly Recommend).