On September 10th,the thriller movie “Searching”, which was directed by Aneesh Chaganty, recorded over 450 million dollars (about 5billion won) profits in the North American box office. The entire story of “Searching” is set on the computer screen or smart phones using Facebook, Google, Youtube, Tumbler, and even TV news clips, showing how technology is an inevitable element in modern life. This movie has shown more than the conventional thriller movie through the unique forms or gimmicks, although the content of the whole story is like a common thriller movie.

  “Searching” starts off with the videos that are recorded happy memories of Margot’s family before her mom died of cancer. One day, Margot’s father, David, found that his daughter was missing, and after that he used a lot of social media to trace her steps and find the evidence that helped him know what Margot was doing when she disappeared. While the cops were investigating, David hacked Margot’s computer and social media, and realized that maybe he might have not known that real Margot. He exclaimed to everyone “I don’t know my daughter!

  Even if it is a thriller movie, the director has shown more insights than the usual suspense, excitement or anxiety. In the beginning of the movie, it shows through videos the happy family life like traveling together, playing piano with mom and daughter, and having a birthday party. The only technology they used was the computer files where the family saved their photos or videos. After Margot’s mom died, on the other hand, Margot and her father contact each other only with Facetime or messengers. Being absence of real relations and communication between them finally makes Margot feel lonely, which causes her to smoke marijuana.

  In addition, David’s whole life even sleeping on the bed takes place exclusively through the computer screens or smart phones, because his life has been dominated by these objects. David has shut down emotionally and has been reluctant to go out of the online world after his wife’s death. The web camera on the laptop always records his life, Facetime and several messengers send important messages from him, and even Googling helps him to search for the cop he had never met before.

  This movie also reflects modern people’s behavior responding to becoming popular through social media. After Margot’s disappearance missing becomes public, her friends who didn’t consider her before expressed their grief by uploading videos through Youtube and news clips.

  These days, people use messengers to send some messages or meet through Facetime even though they are “under the same roof.” “Searching” suggests that this disconnection between family, friends, or lovers could be the starting point of the troubles which people in the 21st century have confronted.

L.L.F reporter Ji-won Park