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PG-13

Released Aug 31, 2018

1h 42m

Mystery & Thriller

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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

Times (UK)

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

Sep 14, 2022

Full Review

Andrea Gronvall

Chicago Reader

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.

Mar 20, 2020

Full Review

Roxana Hadadi

Chesapeake Family Magazine

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

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 21, 2018

Full Review

Ankit Ojha

Cinema Elite

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.

Rated: 4.5/5

Jul 9, 2024

Full Review

Kate Boyle

InSession Film

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

Jul 8, 2024

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Manuel São Bento

MSB Reviews

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.

Rated: A

Jul 24, 2023

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babarizam D

Its a sad movie, very sad but true to its core.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/21/25

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Audience Member

very good movie, a nice showcase of thriller and suspense...

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/15/25

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Faiz D

Highly original and gripping thriller. Had me crying in the first 5 minutes and sobbing at the end.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

Full Review

Mark A

What made the movie really unique was its storytelling technique: it’s told entirely through screens—computer desktops, phone screens, video calls, etc. It’s part of a genre sometimes called “screenlife” films.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/14/25

Full Review

Shioka O

watched this after enjoying "Missing (2023)", the style is exactly the same by the same film editor. this is less entertaining but thrilling enough to focus on 100min.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/05/25

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Audience Member

Worst movie I’ve ever seen

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/25

Full Review

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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

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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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