Movies that play out entirely on the screen of a laptop, a phone, or any other modern device, aren’t necessarily novel at this point, having been utilized to great effect in both horror and mystery genres (UnfriendedandSearching, respectively). However, the unique effect these screen thrillers have on their story can’t be understated. The technique is once again used inMissing, the sort-of sequel toSearching, to mixed but mostly good results.
The connective tissue betweenSearchingandMissinggoes beyond some references to the latter (including a pretty fun fake-out opening scene). The story comes fromSearchingwriter Sev Ohanian, with the editors of that film, Will Merrick and Nick Johnson, taking over screenplay and directing duties. Like its predecessor,Missingtells a mostlytight mystery story with plenty of twists and turns, even if it does falter somewhat in its final act.
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As opposed toSearching, this time around the parent and child roles are reversed, with 18-year-old June (Storm Reid) desperately searching for her mother, Grace (Nia Long), who goes missing after embarking on a trip to Colombia with new boyfriend Kevin (Ken Leung). Within the opening act, the relationship between mother and daughter is firmly established through phone and text conversations, as well as some early revelations about June’s father. Long and Reid play these moments well, selling the mutual exasperation ofa parent and kid who don’t quite see eye to eye. There isn’t much beyond their strained relationship, with the movie choosing to focus more on its plot mechanics than the events that caused their relationship to break down.
WhatMissinglacks in its character development it more than makes up for in its expediency of plot. If there’s one thing the movie doesn’t do, it’s drag out things in the story. Once the mystery is initiated through a missed pick-up at LAX, June’s investigation plays out with remarkable speed. The benefit ofMissing’s structure is making the types of on-screen investigatory tactics (not unlike those seen on MTV’sCatfish) gripping rather than sterile. Something as simple as a notification or a pop-up menu can be a crucial piece of the puzzle, and can heighten the tension in an instant.
These choices can probably be attributed to the fact that two editors have taken charge of the story. Merrick and Johnson clearly know where to trim the fat and how to speed things along, sometimes to a fault. It wouldn’t hurt in some scenes to let an emotional moment land a little bit harder or to linger on something sinister just a bit longer to really sell it. Still, it’s hard to faultMissingtoo much in an age whenmovies just keep getting longer and have even less to say.
While cinematography may not be one of the first elements that come to mind with a screen thriller, there is a mindfulness to how each shot of June’s desktop is structured, with sticky notes, browser windows, and text conversations littering the screen and offering up small, easy-to-miss context about the story. Where the style falls flat is more in its recreations of life outside the screen. News coverage and press conferences have a decidedly cheap and artificial look to them, but that shortcoming thankfully doesn’t extend too much into the ‘real life’ shots of characters in their homes or out in public.
As for the mystery at the center ofMissing, it is as intricate as it is intriguing.There are even more rug pulls, red herrings, and deceptive twiststhan would be in the average whodunnit. Some of these moments feel more earned than others, but the pieces of the puzzle fit together nicely, with no lingering questions or visible plot holes. Reid does an excellent job at selling the tech-savvy knowledge that someone from Gen Z would possess, figuring out along the way how to solve certain problems that don’t appear to have an easy solution.
One of said solutions is hiring a Task Rabbit (or in this case, Go Ninja) worker named Javier (Joaquim de Almeida) to carry out the legwork all the way in Colombia. Javier and June’s friendship is probably one of the most enjoyable parts of the movie, with the two connecting on a personal level anddoing some impressive detective work togetherin order to figure out what happened. Amy Landecker is also on hand as Heather, a family friend and lawyer who may have more to do with the case than she lets on.
Where the story and the central mystery begin to fall apart is the movie’s climax, which makes a stylistic shift to cheat the established format and do something different than what has been presented. There are some brief flashes of the innovative format that help to bolster this part of the story, but it is something of a let-down that the movie ultimately builds up to something that feels more generic and less inventive than what came before it. If anything, this stumble just shows that there are certain limitations to presenting a story this way, ones that steer the competently crafted tension intobog-standard third-act territory.
Even with its weaknesses,Missingstill remains a compelling mystery story driven by an excellent lead performance and an unpredictable path to its conclusion. While it resemblesSearchingin many ways, it does enough to set itself apart and stand on its own. It’s also worth noting that besides a few brief references to the earlier case, having seenSearchingis not a prerequisite to enjoyMissing(although it is definitely worth checking out). There is plenty to like aboutMissing, and if anything, it shows that the concept of a screen thriller hasn’t yet been overdone.
Missingopens in theaters on January 20th.
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Missing
Missing is a movie from the creative team behind Searching that follows a daughter trying to find her missing mother. When June’s (Storm Reid) mother goes on vacation in Columbia with her new boyfriend, she suddenly goes missing during the adventure. To find her, June will use all the information and social media tools she can to track her mother down before it’s too late. However, the deeper she digs, the more she discovers how little she really knew her mother. You can rent Missing for just $1.99 for Prime Day.
