MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE

by Arik London

Susie Searches, directed by Sophie Kargman, is a suspenseful crime drama/comedy that follows a quirky teenage girl who is obsessed with true crime books and mysteries. Susie’s obsession and shown penchant for solving these crimes cumulates in Susie developing her own True Crime Podcast. Susie is played by leading actress Kiersey Clemmens with a supporting cast including Alex Wolff, Jim Gaffigan, Ken Marino, David Walton, Geoffrey Owens, and many other phenomenal talents.

The plot follows Susie as she takes on the missing person’s case regarding her local town’s ever-so-popular youtube meditation celebrity Jesse (Alex Wolff). Susie’s motive: to raise her own online presence and grow her podcast in hopes of gaining her own popularity and making money to aid her sick mother.  Initially, Susie tries to help her local police by making frequent trips to share conspiracies and theories surrounding Jessie’s disappearance. Sheriff Loggins (Jim Gaffigan) and Deputy Graham (David Walton) initially brush Susie off as she seems nothing more than an oddball teen who would otherwise not have any relevant information. Through many twists and turns Susie navigates her mission to save Jesse and promote her True Crime Podcast.

The emotional range of Kiersey Clemmens paired with the naturally funny demeanor of both Jim Gaffigan and David Walton, would be hard to match in any scenario. Although a young woman with a knack for solving crimes, Susie has little in Common with a Sherlock or Enola Holmes character type. She is quirky and comes off as a bit childish, sporting a big smile full of colorful braces. At first appearance, her character shows no promise of being a successful detective. This, however, only aids in the character development as Susie uncovers the truth behind Jesse’s disappearance… or so it seems. The director did well in guiding the audience through the story without revealing too much or too little information. Each plot twist and surprise were both unexpecting and timely.

Susie Searches was a fresh take on the crime drama/comedy genre. Unlike crime mystery films and shows such as Sherlock Holmes and Elementary, this young detective has ulterior motives that allow the film to keep the audience captivated without following the same motifs as its peers. Is Susie a hero, or is there something more to uncover? This film does well to navigate the mind and motive of Susie, a more complex character than originally expressed in the film’s early stages.