A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
some
Movie is all about solving problems, as well as persistence/perseverance in the face of great stress and very little hope. Generosity is a virtue, and better communication between family members is encouraged. Simple "protection" of family members, no matter what they've done wrong, is discouraged.
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Positive Role Models
some
David Kim is a sympathetic character, a problem solver, a good parent who goes to great lengths to rescue his daughter. He's also a positive, three-dimensional Asian American character. Without giving too much away, Margot performs an act of incredible generosity; it doesn't turn out well for her, but her act is nonetheless seen as admirable.
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Violence & Scariness
some
A main character dies of cancer. A teen girl goes missing. A car is found in a lake (there's the possibility of a body inside). A man punches a teen boy. Bloody/bruised face. Spoken reference to a jaw being broken. Two men fight/brawl. A man appears to shoot himself on a video. Spoken references to beating, etc. Arguing and yelling. Threats.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
a little
Brief sex-related dialogue, sex-related material. Brief, wrongful assumption that an uncle is having a sexual relationship with his teen niece.
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Language
some
A spoken and written use of "f---ing," plus uses of "s--t," "ass," "damn," "hella," "perv," and "oh my God" as an exclamation.
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Products & Purchases
some
Several tech brand names are mentioned and shown throughout: Internet Explorer, YouTube, eBay, Google, Facebook, Mircosoft, Apple iPhone, Uber, FaceTime, Gmail, Yahoo, Venmo, Norton Antivirus, etc. An Apple computer is turned on, with the familiar "gong" sound and logo. Pokémon is shown and mentioned.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
A secondary character seems to be something of a drug dealer. A jar full of pot is shown. Teen drug use is inferred. Photo of teen drug use. Pipe smoking.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Searching is a mystery starring John Cho about a missing teen that's presented entirely through/on computer screens (similar to the horror movie Unfriended). It's cleverly constructed and emotionally satisfying, as well as diverse and culturally relevant. Expect brief on-screen fighting, arguing, and yelling, as well as offscreen and verbal references to violence. A main character dies of cancer. There's a bit of sex-related dialogue and some sexual references, and there's a brief, wrongful theory that an uncle is having some kind of sexual relationship with his teen niece. Language includes one "f---ing" and uses of "perv." A secondary character appears to be a drug dealer, supplying pot (offscreen) to a teen girl. A jar filled with pot is shown, teen drug use is inferred, and there's pipe smoking. Many tech brand names are shown throughout (Google, Facebook, YouTube, etc.), but all in service to the story. Underlying everything are messages of perseverance and the need for stronger communication among family members, as well as the notion of the internet as both a useful and a dangerous place. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
In SEARCHING, David Kim (John Cho) has a happy family. He enjoys watching his daughter Margot grow up, posting pictures and videos of her to social media. As Margot hits her teenage years (played by Michelle La), David finds himself raising her alone, and she seems increasingly distant. Finally one day she simply disappears after a supposed study group, and David hits the internet to try to find clues about where she might have gone. Her friends don't seem to know much, but he discovers that she's also been skipping her piano lessons and pocketing the money. A detective (Debra Messing) comes on the case, and time seems to be running out. Can David spot the final clue that will piece everything together?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Searching's depiction of violence. How much is shown, and how much is kept offscreen? Are these incidents equally effective? Why or why not?
How are drugs depicted? Are they glamorized in any way? Are there consequences to teens using drugs? Why does that matter?
The movie shows the internet to be both useful and dangerous. How can we choose what's safe -- and what isn't?
Margot's act of generosity turns out badly, but how does the movie view her act? Is she still admirable? Should generosity be viewed as risky?
How do the characters demonstrate perseverance? Why is that an important character strength?
Movie Details
- In theaters: August 24, 2018
- On DVD or streaming: November 27, 2018
- Cast: John Cho, Debra Messing, Michelle La
- Director: Aneesh Chaganty
- Inclusion Information: Asian actors
- Studio: Screen Gems
- Genre: Thriller
- Character Strengths: Perseverance
- Run time: 102 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: thematic content, some drug and sexual references, and for language
- Last updated: September 2, 2022
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FAQs
Audience Reviews
10/10. great and unexpected plot twists and an extremely creative format, with a bit of suspense too! Content collapsed. Great movie would definitely suggest people to watch.
Is the movie Searching a true story? ›
According to a report by Bustle.com, Searching's plot is not based on a true story. There was no real-life person with the name David Kim who went out in search of his missing 15-year-old daughter. The movie did shed light on cybercrime and how people go missing because of the misuse of social media.
How scary is the movie Searching? ›
My young teen watching this was not scared at all by the movie, but some teens might be if they worry about vanishing. After the first 30 or 45 min, the movie becomes less realistic and much more clearly a movie, with some twists and turns and mystery elements. It's absorbing throughout.
What is the message of the movie Searching? ›
In the era of the Internet, Searching shows how people are still people, capable of both damage and devotion. Through the perspectives of technology and humanity, we may consider the film's title two ways. There is the searching that a computer does: clinical, emotionless, and mechanical.
What actually happened to Margot in Searching? ›
Instead of this being a romantic moment, Robert pushed Margot into a ravine, thought she was dead, and hoped that he could get away with it. David tells the police, who locate Margot. Thanks to a storm that took place not too long ago, she was able to stay alive by drinking water that washed into the ravine.
What is the Searching movie about? ›
How old is Margot in Searching? ›
It aims for and earns genuine emotion rather than cheap thrills. The ever-versatile John Cho shows great range and takes us on an intimate, gripping journey as David Kim, a widower raising his 16-year-old daughter, Margot (Michelle La, in her first major role), in suburban San Jose, Calif.
What is the theme of the movie Searching? ›
Written and directed by Aneesh Chaganty in his feature debut, and featuring a fantastic, grief-laden performance from Cho, Searching delivers on what must be one of the nightmares of modern parenting: the idea of your child having a hidden double life on the internet — a life that is both unknown and unknowable.
Does Searching have jump scares? ›
There are 0 jump scares in Searching, which has a jump scare rating of 0.0. See below for more details. Jump Scare Rating: Nothing resembling a jump scare in this thriller that takes place almost entirely on smart phone and computer screens.
What is the most inappropriate scary movie? ›
Horrifying, Disturbing, Disgusting.
- Megan Is Missing. 20111h 25mNot Rated. 4.6 (16K) Rate. ...
- Martyrs. 20081h 39mR. 7.0 (107K) Rate. ...
- I Saw the Devil. 20102h 24mNot Rated. 7.8 (147K) Rate. ...
- Cold Fish. 20102h 26mNot Rated. 7.1 (15K) Rate. ...
- The Loved Ones. 20091h 24mR. ...
- Frontier(s) 20071h 48mNC-17. ...
- Splinter. 20081h 22mR. ...
- [Rec]² 20091h 25mR.
50 Scariest Horror Movies That Are Too Disturbing to Re-Watch
- 50 'In a Violent Nature' (2024)
- 49 'The Killing of a Sacred Deer' (2017)
- 48 'The Exorcist' (1973)
- 47 'Barbarian' (2022)
- 46 'The Conjuring' (2013)
- 45 'The Perfection' (2018)
- 44 'Funny Games' (1997)
- 43 'Deliver Us from Evil' (2014)
Who is the villain in Searching? ›
Rosemary Vick (Debra Messing) is the hidden main villainess from the 2018 film, Searching.
What happens to the daughter in Searching? ›
David tells the police to return, remembering the storm on the third day of the search would have provided her with enough water. The rescue crew finds Margot severely injured but alive. Two years later, Margot applies for college to major in piano. David tells her Pamela would have been proud of her.
Is there a sequel to the movie Searching? ›
The Thriller-Mystery Missing is a continuation of director Aneesh Chaganty's first two feature films Searching (2018) and Run (2020), with many references to the prequels.
Why did Margot survive? ›
Chef Slowik's plan is to make his shallow and disconnected guests feel powerless and embarrassed before they die, highlighting the industry's elitism. Margot is allowed to leave because she represents a connection to Chef Slowik's roots and reminds him of the joy of simple, well-prepared food.
Is the movie Searching inappropriate? ›
Why is "Searching" rated PG-13? The MPAA rating has been assigned for "thematic content, some drug and sexual references, and for language." The Kids-In-Mind.com evaluation includes many tense scenes of implied violence, marijuana use by teens, and one F-word and a couple of incomplete ones.
What did Rosemary Vick do? ›
As for Cartoff's "confession", the evil Vick drugged Cartoff and told him to give the scripted confession, after which she shot Cartoff to death and staged it as a suicide. The "confession" and Cartoff's death closed the case, and also covered up Robert's actions, as well as Vick's heel turn.
What was the plot twist in Searching? ›
The Searching ending eventually explains why Detective Vick has so adamantly suggested a runaway case, with the shocking twist that Vick's son thinks he's killed Margot. The movie then reveals that Detective Vick, who everyone has thought to be a "good guy," actually has misled David the whole time.
Did Margot survive in Searching? ›
At the ravine, the rescue crew discovers Margot severely injured but alive. Two years later, Margot is shown to have applied for college to major in piano, with her status as pending. Photographs and textual conversations show that the relationship between David and Margot has considerably improved.
Is Searching based on true? ›
But plausible as the plot is, Searching is not based on actual events. It's just a movie that realistically focuses on how technology pervades our modern lives. That's good enough for overall positive reviews, with a Rotten Tomato score of a whopping 94 percent fresh.