Searching Review: Gimmick or Success?

If you haven’t had a chance to see a trailer yet or are still wondering even after seeing it, let me start off by saying yes... all of Searching takes place on a computer/phone screen. So that naturally begs the question... is it just a gimmick or is it something actually worth your time?It’s a fair question and nowadays it’s hard to be able to tell what movies are worth putting your hard earned money down for, especially with the onslaught of experimental storytelling we’ve had in recent years (Locke, Unfriended, Hardcore Henry, etc.).

So what’s the consensus on Searching? From a critical standpoint, it’s a home run. Reviews for this film have been phenomenal and it’s definitely built up steam since its release. However, I think we’ve all experienced times when the hype fails to meet our expectations. I certainly feel like I’ve had it happen quite often and it almost makes me more trepidatious to walk into the theatre. Sometimes it makes us have unreal and unfair standards. 

I’m glad to say that Searching, for the most part, didn’t disappoint. I’m not sure if it’s something that will still be widely remembered years from now but it’s still an extremely engrossing and thrilling time at the movies. The problem I often find with films like this are that they’re so dependent on the shock and awe of an audience’s first time viewing that they don’t always hold up upon rewatch. Again, that takes nothing away from an initial trip to the theatre but it is something to keep in the back of your head. A movie’s staying power and impact throughout the years is always something I hold with high regard. Regardless, Searching is something to see on the big screen in a dark, crowded theatre. There’s definitely at least a 15-20 minute learning curve to get used to its very non-traditional storytelling. However, once that’s over with, you’ll sometimes even forget that you’re watching all these events play out from the perspective of electronic screens. 

I’m still not completely sure if I’d call it a gimmick or not. It absolutely helped as a way to spike curiosity and market the film. Luckily, they do a lot with it and integrate the story beats just enough to make it feel like it adds something to what you’re watching. Searching could have certainly been told in a more traditional fashion but it also may have not been as effective. With so many moving parts and characters, the quick transitions and techniques that this format allows seemed perfect for a story like this. 

The heavy emphasis on computers and the internet also allows for a lot of poignant commentary to be made on certain things such as social media. As time’s gone on, I’ve become more and more critical of social media, feeling that the good it can do may not always outweigh the bad. It’s created a very self-conscious culture where people feel that their worth is based on the number of likes they can get. Not to mention, there always seems to be those people looking for a pat on the back to show how kind and generous they are. It never seems genuine. There can be a pretty wide divide between how a person appears on social media versus real life. Searching hits on all those points and it was very nice to see that. 

Aside from those major points, it’s also, at its heart, a story about a father and daughter trying to reconcile their relationship with each other. It’s very poignant at times and combined with a great soundtrack, there’s plenty of emotion, surprises, and tension to keep you going.

Searching may not end up being the most memorable theatre experience but it’s definitely a very interesting one. I’m not sure if this trend will carry on but in this case it largely works. It’s understandable to walk out and still see it as just a gimmick but I do think it added something to the story and turned something that could have been generic into something new and unique.