Searching

★★★★

Out 31 august / Cert 12a / 102 mins director Aneesh Chaganty cast John Cho, Debra Messing, Michelle La, Sara Sohn

IT’S easy to get fixated on the gimmick of Searching. Its entire story is told on a computer screen, via Facetime chats, youtube clips and Google searches. It tells the story of David (Cho), a recent widower who believes he has a solid, honest relationship with his daughter, until she disappears and he delves into her online life to try to find her. And is left wondering if he ever really knew her at all. But it proves to be more than just a gimmick — it’s a highly entertaining, fast-moving and gripping drama with a solid emotional core. And while the conceit is occasionally pushed too far to be believable, the heightened presentation has earned it the right to be pulpy.