Susie Searches, 2023.
Directed by Sophie Kargman.
Starring Kiersey Clemons, Alex Wolff, Jim Gaffigan, Ken Marino, David Walton, Isaac Powell, Rachel Sennott, Geoffrey Owens, Alex Moffat, Dolly Wells, Jammie Patton, Kat Foster, Neal Bledsoe, Aaron Costa Ganis, Juliette Goglia, McKenna Quigley Harrington, Mellanie Hubert, Colby Lewis, Ellie Reine, and Jared Gilman.
SYNOPSIS:
An awkward college student who seizes the opportunity to bolster her popularity and her under-the-radar true-crime podcast by solving the disappearance of a classmate.
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, Susie Searches wouldn’t exist.
Susie Searches whiffs on several refreshing ideas, let alone just one. Directed by Sophia Kargman (providing the story framework for screenwriter William Day Frank), the film is centered on the bright young, intelligent college mind of the eponymous Susie (a charming Kiersey Clemons), who also doubles as a podcast host digging into true crime cold cases, with practically no audience engagement. She also works at a burger joint alongside her vapid coworker Jillians (Rachel Sennott) and the easily irritable Edgar (Ken Marino), bringing in some cash to provide for her terminally ill mother, Anne (Jammie Patton).
An early childhood montage also shows Anne reading various whodunits to Susie, demonstrating an impressive knowledge of guessing the twist and killers far ahead of time, naturally leading to her current interest in analyzing true crime mysteries. She’s a regular modern-day Nancy Drew, except no one listens to her assessments. There’s also an indication through her blank stares into the nonexistent interaction from social media pages that recognition and fame are something Susie desperately seeks. The cautionary tale aspect is clear from the get-go.
An opportunity soon reveals itself, as a popular YouTuber spreading kindness and promoting meditation who also goes to the same university goes missing. Played by Alex Wolff, Jesse has everything Susie wants and is effortlessly magnetic on camera. He also comes from money, furthering the comparisons between them. One doesn’t necessarily need popularity and money, whereas the other one could use it to funnel it into medical treatments for her ailing mother.
Without saying much, Susie Searches wisely doesn’t hide the obvious, although the tone consistently feels off. There is a threat here and a mystery for Susie to solve, who also becomes wrapped up in a close friendship with Jesse upon putting her sleuthing skills to the test and locating him. Due to the background of both characters as Internet personalities capable of putting on a mask, neither of them feels fully trustworthy.
However, the writing and characterization often fall flat and lose direction, actively disinterested in exploring the darker aspects of who these people are. There also comes a point where the relationship between Susie and her sick mother doesn’t even matter, as if it was only an early narrative device to explain her love of mysteries. Susie keeps much hidden from her mother, as one waits for their dynamic to come back into play. Meanwhile, a lazy police department led by an incompetent sheriff ( a reliably funny Jim Gaffigan) begins to feel the pressure that this college student is better at their jobs (it’s also worth mentioning that Susie has another side job working inside the department), causing them to work slightly harder.
For a good portion, it’s apparent what Susie Searches is trying to do; it just doesn’t do it well. The performances are solid, and there is some intrigue about how things will end once the other shoe drops. On that note, the final scene itself is a stroke of genius that cleverly ties back to Susie’s understanding of criminals. But there is also a mishandling of conflicting tones and uncertainty on what to do during the middle stretch and with certain characters. The real search is for the compelling story and thoughtful commentary buried underneath misguided execution.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
