Movie Review: Searching

Enthralling. Relatable. Brilliant.

I seriously didn't know what to expect with Searching, but man, was I floored by the outstanding craftsmanship on display. The narrative, although quite conventional, felt fresh buoyed mostly by its innovative and clever filmmaking style. Sure, the central gimmick could only go so far - and it did break some of its rules towards the end - but the execution and direction was absolutely top notch. John Cho was magnificent showcasing a tremendous range of emotions given the massive arc of his character, the tension was crafted really well, and the first few minutes was beautiful and poignant montage that it almost reminded me of Pixar's Up.

Searching could've easily been godawful and trite, but the airtight plot progression, solid writing, masterful direction, and John Cho, made this a strong modern thriller and possibly one of the best films I've seen this year.