Searching

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Searching

PG-13

2018

1h 42m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

260 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

David Kim becomes desperate when his 16-year-old daughter Margot disappears and an immediate police investigation leads nowhere. He soon decides to search the one place that no one else has -- Margot's laptop. Hoping to trace her digital footprints, David contacts her friends and looks at photos and videos for any possible clues to her whereabouts.

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Critics Consensus

Searching's timely premise and original execution are further bolstered by well-rounded characters brought to life by a talented cast.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

09/14/2022

A mystery that’s far meatier than its virtual framing would suggest.

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Andrea Gronvall

Chicago Reader

03/20/2020

Shot mostly with iPhones and GoPro cameras, the movie is visually drab and a little too gimmicky - ultimately it's a stunt, albeit an engrossing one.

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Roxana Hadadi

Chesapeake Family Magazine

09/21/2018

3.5/5

Searching follows Eighth Grade as another thought-provoking film about the intersection between teens' lives and their presence-and reliance-on social media.

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Ankit Ojha

Cinema Elite

07/09/2024

4.5/5

Going against the Heightened Realism 101 rulebook in films of this kind, Chaganty underlines his storytelling with a terrific score and appropriate rhythm-heavy editing.

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Kate Boyle

InSession Film

07/08/2024

The writing is amazing, the use of technology is great, and it doesn't feel cheesy as it has in past films.

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Manuel São Bento

MSB Reviews

07/24/2023

A

A tremendously unique style of filmmaking elevates an almost seamlessly written mystery, containing constant twists and puzzling clues that leave the audience captivated throughout the entire runtime.

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Kmss G.

@pianississimo Feb 11

It's a complete nightmare for Asian parents in San Jose. I was scared.

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Landon B.

@LandonThe3rd Dec 13

There wasn’t a second in the movie where I wasn’t fully engaged, and every scene had me guessing what was gonna happen next. The ending is perfect too.

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Oz S

@Ozsoffy Dec 7

Searching tells the story of a father who uses every digital trace available to find his missing daughter. The entire film unfolds through screens, calls, and messages, yet it manages to stay tense and emotionally engaging. The format draws you close to the characters and makes each new clue feel personal. The performances are sincere, and the pacing moves with purpose as the mystery deepens. The twists arrive steadily and keep you guessing, even if a few moments ask you to suspend a bit of disbelief. What makes the film stand out is how naturally it integrates modern technology into its storytelling. It turns everyday digital habits into a powerful narrative tool and delivers a clever, gripping thriller that leaves an impression long after the search ends.

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Jalvzz ..

@jalvzz Dec 7

Good watch I really like the plot

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VITALII H

@freakynickison Oct 29

David's daughter has gone missing and ie s doing everything in order to find her. David was able to log into her social media accounts and throughout his research he finds out a lot about his daughter that he didn't know. If you saw the movie "Unfriended" (2014) then it needs to be mentioned that this movie was directed basically in the same way. There' sa lot of plot twists in this movie which makes it worth watching.

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Alexander S

Oct 20

I went into Searching with low expectations, but this film totally 'Zoomed' past them! Despite my initial reservations about the webcam filming style, the story was surprisingly engaging, and the characters were well-developed and relatable. It was a thrilling ride from start to finish – a huge thumbs up from me! Grading: A

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Aneesh Chaganty

Director

John Cho

David Kim

Debra Messing

Detective Vick

Joseph Lee

Peter

Michelle La

Margot

Sara Sohn

Pamela Nam Kim

Searching: Official Clip - What Did You Do to My Daughter?

3:57

Searching: Official Clip - Crazy Dad Theater Attack

3:31

Searching: Official Clip - Mommy's Gonna Make It Better

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Searching: Official Clip - Detective Rosemary Vick

2:28

Searching: Official Clip - Stock Photo Killer

2:55

Searching: Official Clip - Finding the Killer

4:16

Searching: Official Clip - fish_n_chips

3:46

Searching: Official Clip - You Told Me She Ran Away

2:27

Searching: Official Clip - You Don't Always Know Your Kid

2:06

Searching: Official Clip - When We Were a Family

1:43

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Synopsis

David Kim becomes desperate when his 16-year-old daughter Margot disappears and an immediate police investigation leads nowhere. He soon decides to search the one place that no one else has -- Margot's laptop. Hoping to trace her digital footprints, David contacts her friends and looks at photos and videos for any possible clues to her whereabouts.

Director: Aneesh Chaganty
Producer: Timur Bekmambetov, Sev Ohanian, Adam Sidman, Natalie Qasabian
Screenwriter: Aneesh Chaganty, Sev Ohanian
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Screen Gems, Stage 6
Production Co: Screen Gems, Stage 6 Films, Bazelevs Production
Rating: PG-13 (Some Drug References|Language|Some Sexual References|Thematic Content)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 31, 2018, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 13, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $26.0M
Runtime: 1h 42m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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