diff --git a/client/src/pages/SearchResultPage.jsx b/client/src/pages/SearchResultPage.jsx
index 31ed361..7464eb8 100644
--- a/client/src/pages/SearchResultPage.jsx
+++ b/client/src/pages/SearchResultPage.jsx
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ export default function SearchResultPage() {
         }
 
         if (movieRes.status === "fulfilled") {
+            console.log("Movies found:", movieRes.value.data.movies);
             setMovies(movieRes.value?.data.movies || []);
         } else {
             console.error("Movies failed:", movieRes.reason);
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ export default function SearchResultPage() {
                             {movies.length > 0 ? (
                                 <div className="grid grid-cols-2 sm:grid-cols-3 md:grid-cols-4 lg:grid-cols-6 gap-8">
                                     {movies.map((m) => (
-                                        <MovieCard key={m.id} title={m.title} poster={m.poster_path} rating={m.voteAverage} releaseDate={m.release_date} />
+                                        <MovieCard key={m._id} id={m._id} title={m.title} poster={m.posterPath} rating={m.voteAverage} releaseDate={m.releaseDate} />
                                     ))}
                                 </div>
                             ) : (
diff --git a/server/controllers/movie.controller.js b/server/controllers/movie.controller.js
index f4c6b38..e2e57bc 100644
--- a/server/controllers/movie.controller.js
+++ b/server/controllers/movie.controller.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import axios from "axios";
 import Movie from "../models/movie.model.js";
 import { TMDB_BASE_URL, TMDB_KEY } from "../config/env.js";
+import { getOrCreateMovie } from "../services/movie.service.js";
 
 export const getMovieById = async (req, res) => {
     const movieId = req.params.id;
@@ -20,25 +21,62 @@ export const getMovieById = async (req, res) => {
     }
 };
 
+
+/* 
+    Helper function to fetch movies from TMDB based on a search query.
+*/
+const fetchMoviesFromTMDB = async (query) => {
+    const response = await axios.get(`${TMDB_BASE_URL}/search/movie`, {
+        params: {
+            api_key: TMDB_KEY,
+            query
+        }
+    });
+
+    return response.data.results;
+};
+
 export const searchMovie = async (req, res) => {
     try {
         const query = req.query.q;
 
         if (!query || query.trim() === "") {
-            return res.status(400).json({ success: false, error: "Query parameter 'q' is required" });
+            return res.status(400).json({
+                success: false,
+                error: "Query parameter 'q' is required"
+            });
         }
 
-        const movies = await axios.get(`${TMDB_BASE_URL}/search/movie`, {
-            params: {
-                api_key: TMDB_KEY,
-                query: query
-            }
+        // Search DB first
+        let movies = await Movie.find({
+            title: { $regex: query, $options: "i" }
         });
 
-        res.status(200).json({ success: true, movies: movies.data.results });
+        // If no movies in DB -> fetch from TMDB
+        if (movies.length === 0) {
+            const tmdbMovies = await fetchMoviesFromTMDB(query);
+
+            for (const tmdbMovie of tmdbMovies) {
+                await getOrCreateMovie(tmdbMovie.title);
+            }
+
+            // Search again after saving
+            movies = await Movie.find({
+                title: { $regex: query, $options: "i" }
+            });
+        }
+
+        return res.status(200).json({
+            success: true,
+            movies
+        });
 
     } catch (error) {
-        console.error("Error searching movie: ", error);
-        res.status(500).json({ message: "Failed to search movie" });
+        console.error("Error searching movie:", error);
+
+        return res.status(500).json({
+            success: false,
+            message: "Failed to search movie"
+        });
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+};
\ No newline at end of file