After his wife (Sohn) dies of cancer, David (Cho) raises his daughter Margot (La) on his own. Now 16, she has a life of her own, so David has no idea where to look when she goes missing. The detective on the case, Rosemary (Messing), is doing her best. But it's when David digs into Margot's laptop that he discovers her secrets, including online relationships, lies and an inexplicable financial transaction. Following each lead is emotionally draining, but each new discovery sends David and Rosemary down another rabbit hole.

The story is crafted with clever detail, set within familiar software and operating systems, social media apps and websites. Conversations take place on FaceTime or in messaging windows, with photos and videos revealing new information. Chaganty skilfully reveals hints and suggestions, including some that lead to the final twist, but the options are so varied, the shifts in tone so sudden, that the audience is thoroughly engaged through every turn of the tale.

Cho is terrific in the central role as a worried dad diving into a world that feels alien. David knows grief has put distance between him and his daughter but feels powerless to do something about it, and the way he blames himself adds a strong kick of emotion. The most intense scene is one between Cho and Lee, as David's likeable brother Peter. And Messing has some superbly jarring scenes of her own along the way.

The story unfolds in overlapping windows so recognisable that even one false moment would be glaring, and it's remarkable that Chaganty keeps everything almost eerily authentic. This includes a knowing depiction of trending hashtags, online trolls and web-based advertising. Many of these touches bring a smile (or even a lol) of familiarity, which helps cut the tension and draw us in even further. The final series of rug-pulling plot points feels perhaps a little too tidy, but this is such an assured feature debut that we're already looking forward to Chaganty's next one.

themes, language, violence

24.Jul.18