Searching's reviews
Media reviews
Variety
None of this would matter if we didn?t care about the characters, and in 'Searching', Chaganty has found a new idiom for communicating not only the things we share, but also those we keep hidden from the ones we love.
The Verge
'Searching''s rhythm and pacing stand out, from the way the camera punches in and moves around computer screens to the way it creatively adds new angles to the mix, while still adhering to its basic conceit. More often than not, the fact that we?re watching an ersatz computer screen falls away completely, leaving only the drama of David's search. It feels impressively cinematic, which is no small feat, given the stylistic limitations. Cho also delivers a strong performance, capturing the denial, grief, and anger David experiences as the situation with his daughter becomes increasingly more dire.
The Wrap
Unavoidably, 'Searching' might prompt concerned adults to closely monitor their teens? activity on popular websites and even beyond that. Nonetheless, one can hope for an outcome in which, rather than inspiring anyone to implement surveillance as a preemptive measure, this exceptionally astute suspense flick can persuade us to uphold compassionate dialogue as the best analog safety feature.
The Playlist
Touching and tense movie worthy of Hitchcock. It uses all the technological forms of communication at our disposal to tell a whodunit that keeps you guessing until the very end. Despite the aforementioned gimmick, Chaganty's movie is very much cinematic.
Indiewire
It?s that finale when things start to unravel, and the big-time ambition of 'Searching' gives way to an overabundance of information that seems out of place in an otherwise tight and smart film.
The Hollywood Reporter
'Searching' starts feeling more like a conventional suspense film once the deep probe for information on the internet is over and the film enters real time and a possible resolution; there are a lot of present-tense cutaways to TV coverage and a reliance upon surveillance coverage cameras.
Time Out
Strip away 'Searching'?s tech trappings, though, and you?ll find the same propulsive joys that fueled classic ?90s thrillers like 'The Fugitive' and 'The Game': red herrings, a tireless detective (played here by Debra Messing, showing her versatility) and plot turns sharp enough to give you whiplash. Not all of them are subtle (...) and the rules of the film are, well, fluid.
Rolling Stone
Director Aneesh Chaganty, in an exceptional feature debut, does the impossible, building a high-voltage, white-knuckle thriller told almost exclusively through smartphones, laptop screens, browser windows and surveillance footage. 'Searching' is a technical marvel with a beating heart at its core, which makes all the difference.
Screen Daily
The filmmakers keep unveiling surprises as David?s search becomes more and more fraught, but the rampant cunning of the storytelling can sometimes be at odds with what is meant to be a serious story about abduction. 'Searching' comments on the painfully familiar social-media phenomenon of tragic stories going viral, in which real suffering gets reduced to fodder for glib hashtags and Facebook posts.
The A.V. Club
Ultimately, there isn?t room for a close look at the internet?s heart of darkness, or a real rumination on parenting challenges. As a thriller, 'Searching' is both ruthlessly absorbing in the moment and relatively disposable as soon as it ends, sliding itself gracefully into the desktop recycling bin.
Roger Ebert
A narrative omniscience occurs that fills in some holes, but it also results in a loss of tautness and focus (...) ?Til the end, though, we?re deeply invested in these well-drawn characters, and whether they?ll find their happy ending both online and IRL.
Los Angeles Times
'Searching' is nothing if not ambitious, and its rapidly accelerating second half is jammed with bold twists, red herrings and breathless confrontations. It?s also here that the movie begins to slacken its grip - partly because some of the twists beggar belief, and partly because they strain the limits of the online-all-the-time interface.
New York Times
While a somewhat silly reveal in the final act feels ripped from a 'Law & Order' episode, the combination of clever concept reflecting the prevalence of screens in everyday life, and the pleasure of watching a typically underused Mr. Cho take on a meaty lead role make 'Searching' a satisfying psychological thriller.
The Washington Post
Like most mysteries, this one relies heavily on coincidental discoveries, even if they arrive via Gmail or FaceTime, rather than more traditional means. But the plot?s contrivances are less problematic than the movie?s insistence on maintaining its artifice even after it becomes a hindrance.
The Guardian
One limitation is visual: the clean lines of social media never inspire much in the way of real cinematic dread. Chaganty?s tab-toggling is pacy enough, but he gets pedantic about tying up unfinished digital business, and 'Unfriended'?s pulse-raising wildness is beyond him.
The New Yorker
Cho, Messing, and La are excellent actors who are offered almost nothing to work with.