Many people choose to watch movies on their phones or computer screens these days, but what happens when a movie is told entirely through these devices? That was the premise of Missing, a 2023 thriller that is streaming on Hulu as of November 20 and should be added to your watchlist.
Missing centers on teenager June (Storm Reid), who is left alone when her mother (Nia Long) goes on a vacation abroad with her boyfriend (Ken Leung). But when June isn’t able to get in contact with her mother after a few days she begins to worry that something bad has happened. Using the internet, apps and other technology available to her, she investigates her mother’s disappearance herself. The movie is a loose sequel to the 2018 movie Searching. It followed the same general format and Missing references the plot of Searching, but beyond that there are no direct connections between the two stories.
It’s a formula that clearly works. Both movies were critical successes, “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, and hits with movie fans, both receiving high audience scores. But Missing actually has the edge with general audiences, with 90% rating the movie positively (compared to Searching’s 88% fan score).
Part of that may be the wild Missing ending. We won’t go into detail to avoid spoilers, but the deeper that June searches into her mom’s disappearance the darker the situation gets, leading her to uncomfortable truths about her past.
Overall, it’s a great performance from Reid, who can’t escape the camera being trained on her at all times but she never falters. Add in the movie’s twists and turns, which will hook you pretty quickly and keep you guessing all the way through to the ending.
If you want to watch Missing on Hulu, you must be a subscriber to the streaming service. There are a few options for that. Obviously you can sign up for Hulu as a standalone service, but you can also pair it with live TV with the aptly named Hulu with Live TV, or bundle it with Disney Plus as part of the Disney Bundle package.
Not a Hulu subscriber? Missing is also available to rent via digital on-demand platforms for those in the US and UK. If after watching Missing you’re also interested in watching Searching, that’s available on the Starz streaming service in the US and via digital on-demand; Prime Video in the UK.
Watch the trailer for Missing right here:
