After David Kim (John Cho)’s 16-year-old daughter goes missing, a local investigation is
opened and a detective is assigned to the case. But 37 hours later and without a single lead,
David decides to search the one place no one has looked yet, where all secrets are kept
today: his daughter’s laptop. In a hyper-modern thriller told via the technology devices we
use every day to communicate, David must trace his daughter’s digital footprints before she
disappears forever. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Alejandra G. comments, “This new drama/ thriller grabbed
my attention since the beginning, because of its amazing and unique storyline. I felt
thrilled to discover what would happen at the end and, whether or not the outcome would be
what I expected.” See her full comments below.
Searching
By Alejandra G., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16
https://youtu.be/EMnBlXtGmS8
This new drama/thriller grabbed my attention since the beginning, because of its amazing and
unique storyline. I felt thrilled to discover what would happen at the end and, whether or not the
outcome would be what I expected. I came up with my theory for the conclusion by putting
together the clues from the movie, little by little. It is very entertaining because the film gives
the audience an opportunity to be detectives for a moment and try to solve the very unique
mystery of the film.
The storyline is about a father, David, that enjoys watching his daughter
Margot grows up while posting pictures and videos of her to social media, sharing his happiness
with his loved ones. As Margot enters her teenage years, she starts to grow apart and seem distant
from him. One day, she disappears after telling her father that she went to a study group. David
looks on the internet to try to find clues about where she may be. Her friends don’t seem to know
much and don’t help either David or the detective that comes on the case to figure out what
happened to her and hopefully find her alive.My favorite scene is when David starts to get
desperate because of Margot’s disappearance, leading to him brainstorming ideas about how to
find her. This results with him going into Margot’s computer to find answers as to whereabouts.
This is my favorite scene because it is very meaningful and is the moment he starts to realize,
although he doesn’t admit it, that he truly does not know his daughter at all. When he opens her
laptop, it is as if he is entering the unknown territory and we see the distance between him and
Margot. He was very close to her, while she was growing up, but as soon as she hit the teenage
years, she became a stranger.
The important message in this film is that better
communication between family members is encouraged and will improve the dynamics of the
family. For example, at the beginning of the movie, the reason for her disappearance is unknown![]()
and that leads to the suspense and mystery of the storyline. But, let’s say hypothetically that
Margot disappeared on purpose, because she was dealing with a problem and, since she had
grown apart from her dad, she didn’t feel he could help her. If parents, especially those raising
their children alone, communicate and interact better, they can help their kids through the tough
times. They ease the process of going through conflicts so that running away is not their only
choice. I recommend this film for ages 13 to 18, as well as adults and I rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars. It
opens in theaters August 31, 2018 so, check it out. Reviewed by Alejandra G., KIDS
FIRST! Film Critic, age 16
Photo A Cred: Sebastian Baron. ©2018 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Photo B Credit: Elizabeth Kitchens; ©2018 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved
