I Saw The TV Glow – Movie Review

I Saw the TV Glow is now in theaters.

So much of the content we consume in 2024 is rooted in nostalgia. I just finished the animated ‘X-Men ’97’ series, watched the tenth ‘Planet of the Apes‘ movie, and eagerly anticipated the sequel to one of my favorite Tim Burton films of the 1980s. It’s easy to get caught up in the things we loved from childhood, and the chances of us remembering these things as being significantly better than they actually are is quite likely. ‘I Saw the TV Glow,’ the newest psychological horror-drama from director Jane Schoenbrun, is rooted in the different ways we have absorbed past content.

The film follows a teenager named Owen (Justice Smith), a mostly socially isolated young man with restrictive parents (Danielle Deadwyler and Fred Durst), who bonds with Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine) over a young adult television series called ‘The Pink Opaque.’ Their obsession with the show causes their realities to slip, especially once the show is canceled.

Very little about its storytelling is linear, which is appropriate for a psychodrama.

It’s sometimes at odds with itself—relatable yet isolating, ambitious yet frustrating. Through the fictional series The Pink Opaque, the film perfectly recreates the feelings millennials manifested from 90s weekend SNICK staples like ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark?’ and ‘The Adventures of Pete and Pete.’ I, too, had television series I loved, and that defined my tastes in popular culture. While ‘The Pink Opaque’ is relatable in that sense, the journey Owen and Maddy go on through their obsession with the show is sure to be divisive amongst your standard theater-goers.

One of the positively fascinating things about ‘I Saw the TV Glow’ is that there is so much that can be interpreted about identity and self. Everyone will likely walk away with something different. The performances and aesthetic are unquestionably incredible, especially with the film being made on a low budget. However, the plotting and relationship to the characters can sometimes be obtuse and hard to invest in.

Verdict

I give ‘I Saw the TV Glow’ 3 out 5 stars. I applaud it for what it’s trying to do, and Jane Schoenbrun is a fascinating talent from whom I look forward to seeing more. Despite the large chunks I was able to relate to, I also found some of the more artistic interpretations to be less accessible.

Read more Reviews on Nerdtropolis and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube.