"My Daughter is Missing" is a taut thriller with an intriguing central character. Sara is a professor with a specialty in cyber security. In her past, she was a hacker both on computers and in picking locks. She has arrived in Belgrade, Serbia to deliver a keynote speech at a conference. She also reunites with her daughter, Karissa (Rissa), who is a student abroad. Little does Sara know the degree to which her skills will be tested in Belgrade.
While attending university in Belgrade, Rissa has met her bestie named Lara. The two young women decide to out "clubbing" at the studio called Haven. It turns out that the personnel at Haven are running a human trafficking ring. The DJ serves up a roofie to the girls, then assists them into the back of a van. Rissa fires off a phone message to her mom alerting her that she is in trouble. The electronic genius Sara takes it from there to track down her missing daughter.
Some of the most amoral characters imaginable appear in this film. The worst offender is Stefan, one of the lead detectives on the Belgrade police force. After attending Sara's lecture and hitting on her afterwards, he boldly promises that he will come to her aide if she needs anything. But when the desperate mom alerts him to her daughter's abduction, Stefan is anything but helpful, making it clear that he himself is deep into the human trafficking ring.
The subject of Sara's lecture was "moral boundaries in the digital age." She had personally learned a lesson about ethics when her lout of a husband sponged off her expertise to embezzle funds and break the law. Now, Sara finds herself bereft and alone in a big city as she attempts to recover her daughter.
The one breath of fresh air for Sara is Alek, an honest private investigator who had been fired from the police force by Stefan. Sara and Alek join forces to bring back the kidnapped victims, Rissa and Lara. Other unsung heroes in the quest are the computer geeks at the conference, who lend their expertise to locate the girls.
Having gone through this harrowing ordeal, young Rissa decides to leave her study program in Belgrade and return to the United States. He bestie Lara will join Sara and Rissa as a happy family. As a parting remark about their nightmarish experience, Alek says to Sara, "I hope this hasn't spoiled Belgrade for you." Sara can only smile to Alek as she makes a beeline to the airport with Rissa and Lara in tow!
2 out of 3 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
