A Sharp Techno Whodunit Loaded with Twists

June (Storm Reid) uses computers and cell phones to search for her missing mother (Nia Long).

Sony Pictures

A clever daughter searches for her vanished mother using solely digital means. Missing is a sharp techno whodunit that takes place behind cell phones, security cams, and computer screens. Popular social media apps and websites become invaluable aids to a digital sleuth trying to solve a perplexing mystery. An engaging plot has more twists than a bag of pretzels. I give the filmmakers credit for shocking turns that come together smartly in a harrowing climax. Rapid edits and the selfie point of view gets a bit old. I readily admit my age and generational differences are a factor. Younger audiences most likely will not have this issue.

June Allen (Storm Reid) lives with her widowed mother in Los Angeles. Gracie (Nia Long) finds it difficult to get her eighteen-year-old daughter’s attention. June ignores her mother while constantly chatting on social media. Gracie implores June to erase her voicemails as the inbox is full. She’s also annoyed when June turns off her phone’s location finder while shirking curfew.

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Gracie and her new boyfriend, Kevin Lin (Ken Leung), are going to Cartagena, Columbia, for a romantic getaway. She deposits emergency money in June’s account just in case. Gracie warns her rebellious offspring to carefully mind the funds. June sees an opportunity for a wild party.

Frightening Secrets Deepen the Puzzle

Sony Pictures

June throws an epic bash with her friends. She revels in having the house to herself. A hungover June clamors to clean up before picking up her mother at the airport. Gracie and Kevin fail to arrive. June becomes more worried when the Columbian hotel still has their luggage. The couple never checked out. June uses every internet tool at her disposal to search the city. She then decides to hack her mother and Kevin’s e-mail accounts for further clues. Junes discovers frightening secrets that deepen the puzzle of Gracie’s disappearance.

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Missing feints and parries with calculated misdirection. June’s elation at finding clues dissipates as they seemingly lead to nowhere. But what she shrugs off as inconsequential boomerangs back as significant. The film’s dynamic narrative becomes reframed when all of the breadcrumbs are artfully pieced together. A bombshell finale uses what was previously thought as minor details to great effect. You definitely will not see this ending coming.

Nick Johnson and Will Merrick get top marks in their feature directorial debut. The editors of Searching honed their skills to craft slick suspense. The screen mirrors the windows normally open on your computer and cell phone. June has multiple browsers, chat boxes, and video feeds running at the same time. This deluge of information could have been massively confusing. Johnson and Merrick focus on the important. Then, like switching tabs, bounce back and forth to compile information. There’s a lot going on visually, but it makes sense and succeeds in building tension.

Modern life Erases Privacy

Missing illustrates the frightening ease of digital tracking and surveillance. The electronic wizardry of modern life erases privacy. Everything done online and with personal devices is recorded. That’s literally the saving grace here but should cause great concern. Avoid spoilers. Don’t ruin the fun of an intriguing mystery.

Missing is a production of Stage 6 Films, Bazelevs Company, Search Party, and Screen Gems. It will be released theatrically on January 20th from Sony Pictures.

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