The way a movie is shot can go a long way in creating a memorable viewing experience. Last semester I reviewed the war epic 1917, which was shot in such a way as to make the entire two hour film seem like one unbroken shot. Another uniquely shot film was 2018’s Searching, starring John Cho as a father who is trying to find his missing teenage daughter. All the events in Searching are shown through computer screens and smartphones, a genre of visual storytelling known as a screen life film. Searching was a major success, and its reception was positive enough that it has gotten a standalone sequel, titled Missing, which is currently in theaters and is the film I have chosen to review for this issue.
Whereas Searching told the story of a parent looking for their missing child, in Missing, those roles are reversed, as it is Storm Reid’s June looking for answers as to where her mother went after disappearing on vacation with her boyfriend. Storm Reid gives a great leading performance as June, and the fact that the cinematography allows us as the audience to both hear the words she is saying as well as see her actions on her computer screen adds an interesting layer of depth to her character. While I’m talking about the acting, I cannot go without mentioning Joaquim de Almeida’s performance as gig worker Javier, who steals every scene he is in with his comedic timing as well as a few great dramatic beats.
To say Missing kept me on the edge of my seat throughout its runtime would be a slight understatement, as it has enough twists and turns to keep you interested as to what will happen next. Although I will say at times the film’s twists get very close to going a bit over the top. Regardless, I really enjoyed this movie, and if you’re into true crime or thrillers, I’d definitely give Missing, and by extension, it’s standalone prequel Searching, a big recommendation.
