A coming-of-age-story that’s more existential crisis than existential horror, I Saw the TV Glow is the second film from writer/director Jane Schoenbrun. Starring Justice Smith (Detective Pikachu, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) and Brigette Lundy-Paine (Bill & Ted Face the Music, Atypical) as young friends Owen and Maddy, I Saw the TV Glow spans 30 years of time, following their life and shared interest in a monster-of-the-week television show, The Pink Opaque. Owen and Maddy quickly bond over The Pink Opaque, which runs for five seasons. One summer, however, Maddy disappears without a trace, and The Pink Opaque is mysteriously canceled shortly thereafter.
Ultimately, the story that I Saw the TV Glow was trying to tell felt mostly empty to me. Rather than starting somewhere and building towards something, it almost feels like it just keeps starting in new spots every time there’s a time skip and Owen feels stagnant from the moment he’s introduced until the last five minutes of the film. One one hand, this is a great demonstration of what the director says is the actual point of the film – she has been very open about this film being an allegory for realizing you’re transgender later in life and coming to terms with how it’s never too late to transition. On the other hand, however, the way this message is communicated in I Saw the TV Glow makes for a very boring movie. The movie doesn’t “feel” like it’s telling you anything at all while you’re watching it, but if it’s explained to you what this movie is trying to say beforehand the message becomes clearer, though still weak.
That’s not to discount a standout performance from Justice Smith, who plays Owen from ages 12 to 40 immaculately. Owen’s rare outbursts of emotion or confusion are believable and heartbreaking, and it was a real treat to see Justice Smith’s acting chops on full display in a project like this. Danielle Deadwyler’s short appearance as Owen’s mother, Brenda, is also great, showing a level of care and concern that played well off of Owen’s deadbeat father, played by Fred Durst.
Stylistically, this movie is gorgeous. Full of contrasting neons and muted colors, I Saw the TV Glow’s lo-fi aesthetic is very up my alley. This lo-fi aesthetic also evokes strong feelings of nostalgia for low-budget live-action kids shows, and the several clips we’re shown of The Pink Opaque hammer that 90’s television nostalgia home very well in some unsettling ways. The score, too, is phenomenal, full of dark and brooding synths that compliment the neons on screen very well. The film’s original soundtrack, out now via A24 music, is great as well, featuring an ethereal cover of “Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl” by Yeule and a new original song from Sloppy Jane featuring Phoebe Bridgers, “Claw Machine.” Sloppy Jane and Phoebe Bridgers also make a short appearance in the film performing “Claw Machine” during one of the film’s weirder segments.
There is meaning in I Saw the TV Glow, you just have to be aware of outside context to really see it, and even then that’s only if you’re looking for it. Even with great performances, an impeccable aesthetic with matching score and soundtrack, and a touch of nostalgia for times gone by, it’s hard to enjoy a film that doesn’t feel like it’s about anything on the surface. I do think this film will resonate with a lot of transgender people who know what they’re looking for from it, and I’m grateful for that, though as a cisgender man, I’m not sure I saw the vision.
Score: 6/10
I SAW THE TV GLOW
Written and Directed by Jane Schoenbrun
Starring Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman, Helena Howard, with Fred Durst and Danielle Deadwyler
Release Date: May 3, 2024 (Limited), May 17, 2024 (Nationwide)
Rating PG-13
Synopsis: Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.
Make sure you follow and subscribe to The Indie Magazine Podcast wherever you’re listening!
Stream The Indie Magazine Podcast on Your Favorite Platform
