Let’s get this out of the way right off the top. I Saw the TV Glow is a pretty difficult watch, but one that has its rewards for those who stick with it.
It is one of those rare films that dares to take risks, telling a story that is as deeply personal as it is surreal. Directed by Jane Schoenbrun, this bizarre yet evocative exploration of identity, memory, and self-expression feels like a time capsule from the 90s, tinged with the yearning and confusion of adolescence. For fans of experimental cinema and LGBTQ+ storytelling, this is a film that will resonate—not because everything makes narrative sense, but because it knows exactly how to make you feel.
The premise is deceptively simple but unspools into something far richer and stranger. The story centers on Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine, Bill & Ted Face the Music) and Owen (Justice Smith, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), two suburban teens whose obsessive love for a kitschy YA fantasy show called “The Pink Opaque” becomes the tether between their inner worlds and the chaotic, often alienating reality around them. Schoenbrun introduces us to “The Pink Opaque”—a fictional show-within-a-show featuring psychic teens, Isabel (Helena Howard) and Tara (Lindsey Jordan), attempting to defeat the enigmatic Mr. Melancholy—with a blend of campy nostalgia and an unsettling undercurrent of dread.
Over time, this fantasy collides violently with real life, as Maddy runs away and later re-emerges with a wild, heartbreaking declaration that she is Tara and that Owen must join her in the world of The Pink Opaque. It’s a startling, surrealist twist that transforms the story into a meditation on identity and the fluid, sometimes disorienting experience of coming into one’s true self.
One of the film’s most striking elements is its atmosphere. Schoenbrun uses a gaudy, decadent color palette that practically drips with 90s nostalgia and otherworldly charm. The visuals linger on bold, visceral moments—a melting ice cream creature, arcade games ablaze in artificial neon light, and a television on fire that crackles ominously, like a portal to another dimension.
Even the ordinary suburban environment feels hyper-real and dreamlike, as though the borders between fact and fiction, reality and memory, are constantly shifting. This unique aesthetic, while polarizing, perfectly mirrors the film's thematic focus on the unreliability of memory and the way we construct our identities through stories.
The performances are full of subtlety and charm. Brigette Lundy-Paine’s Maddy is raw and electrifying, capturing both the yearning and the chaos of adolescent identity. Justice Smith, on the other hand, grounds the film as Owen, his narration tinged with both an earnest sincerity and a hazy ambiguity that leaves plenty of room for interpretation. Their chemistry feels organic, making their descent into the blurred lines of reality and fantasy believable, even as the story grows increasingly enigmatic.
However, I Saw the TV Glow is not without its flaws. Schoenbrun’s heavy use of exposition and long pauses in dialogue might frustrate some viewers seeking more traditional storytelling. Owen’s narration, rather than clarifying events, often muddies them further. But maybe that’s kind of the point—the experience of the film feels fragmented and dreamlike, much like the way we recall memories or our own personal journeys through adolescence.
Thematically, the film digs deep into ideas of trans identity and self-realization without turning these into heavy-handed lessons. In fact, you may not even realize it at first. Instead, the narrative subtly weaves a complex tapestry of “differentness,” creatively exploring what it means to shed the limitations of who others expect you to be and to fully, unapologetically become yourself. It’s a celebration of individuality and an invitation to step into the discomfort of reinvention.
I Saw the TV Glow will not be for everyone. Its experimental structure and refusal to provide clear answers make it extremely challenging at times, but for those willing to go along for the ride, it’s a somewhat rewarding and thought-provoking experience. It’s not just a movie you watch—it’s a movie that stays with you, urging you to reflect on your own stories, memories, and the narratives you use to define yourself.
If you’re a fan of offbeat cinema, weird storytelling, or simply want to bask in the glow of something both retro and forward-thinking, I Saw the TV Glow is absolutely worth seeking out. It’s messy, yet mesmerizing, but, above all, human.
MPAA Rating: PG-13.
Runtime: 110 mins
Director: Jane Schoenbrun
Writer: Jane Schoenbrun
Cast: Justice Smith; Brigette Lundy-Paine; Ian Foreman
Genre: Drama | Psychological horror
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote: "Soon, you won't remember anything. Your real name, your superpowers, you won't even remember that you're dying."
Distributor: A24
Official Site: https://a24films.com/films/i-saw-the-tv-glow
Release Date: September 24, 2024
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: A teenager just trying to make it through life in the suburbs is introduced by a classmate to a mysterious late-night TV show.
