This review was originally part of our coverage for the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
In their 2021 filmWe’re All Going to the World’s Fair, writer-directorJane Schoenbruntold acreepypasta-esquestory about online communities, the ability to be whatever you want to be behind a computer, and finding a way to be a part of something—even if that could lead to a tragic end.We’re All Going to the World’s Fairfelt like a film about finding one’s self and the comfort finding others like ourselves can give. But with their second feature,I Saw the TV Glow, Schoenbrun takes an entirely different approach, creating a story in which we watch as a character knows who they are, and begins to question their reality, slowly losing themselves and their identity, wasting away into uncertainty.I Saw the TV Glowis bold, unhinged, extremely unusual, and also kind of magnificent—a daring step forward for Schoenbrun as a filmmaker, and a film that will certainly divide audiences not sure what the hell to make of it.
I Saw the TV Glow
What Is ‘I Saw the TV Glow’ About?
I Saw the TV Glowfollows Owen (Ian Foreman), who is introduced to a TV show calledThe Pink Opaque—a 90s amalgamation of several Nickelodeon shows andBuffy the Vampire Slayer—by Maddy (Jack Haven), whose sole interest seems to be the show. Two years later, Owen (now played byJustice Smith) has become equally obsessed withThe Pink Opaque, thanks to the recorded VHS tapes Maddy has left for him at school.For both Owen and Maddy, their interest in this strange, monster-of-the-week series becomes more than just a show, but rather, a story that completely alters their perspective and who they are.
Without spoiling the bonkers yet assured vision that Schoenbrun has crafted,I Saw the TV Glowis like a combination ofDavid LynchandDavid Cronenberg, infused withAre You Afraid of the Dark?andThe Adventures of Pete and Pete, but all through the specific style of Schoenbrun. As thisis an A24 film, it’s hard not to think of other daring films that border on horror, like last year’sBeau Is Afraid, which are almost unbelievable in their ambition and concepts. Yet, despite these influences and inspirations,I Saw the TV Glowalways feels distinctly like a natural progression for Schoenbrun fromWe’re All Going to the World’s Fair.
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Schoenbrun brings together an unlikely collection of actors that oddly go well together. Smith is asked to push himself in ways we’ve never seen from him before, in a role that covers years of his life and his evolution from a child into an adult who is less sure of what his reality is. Especially in the film’s final moments, Smith does an excellent job of making us care for this uncertain character, even when he’s embracing the weirdness of this story fully. Equally great is Haven as Maddy, who encapsulates the power thatThe Pink Opaquehas on this duo, while also expanding the mysteries within this story.
‘I Saw the TV Glow’ Has a Spectacular Cast
Smith and Haven are the key toI Saw the TV Glow, exploring both the impact that nostalgia, entertainment, and attachment to media can have on a person, but also, in how the film utilizes all of that to have these characters come to deep realizations about themselves and who they are. Haven’s Maddy watches thePink Opaquealmost as if nothing else in the world matters, and she almost entirely succumbs to her obsession in ways that are haunting and unsettling. But it’s Smith as Owen who shows the elongated damage this show’s revelation has had on him. Smith plays Owen as though he’s never comfortable in his own skin, like something is always wrong—an imposter in his own body. AsI Saw the TV Glowgets more surreal and uncomfortable, that’s especially true for Owen, who undergoes the biggest evolution of them all. Especially in the film’s final few minutes, Smith’s performance is staggering, leading to a conclusion that is truly haunting, as he only becomes even more uncertain of who he is, inside and out.
But this extended cast is packed with performances that don’t seem like they should go together, but somehow do. For example, Owen’s parents are played byTill’sDanielle Deadwylerand Limp Bizkit frontmanFred Durst.Deadwyler shows a compassion for her son that he’s lacking elsewhere in his life, while Durst has a quiet intimidation that makes him an unsettling presence.I Saw the TV Glowhas a lot more going on elsewhere, including Snail Mail’sLindsey Jordangiving her debut performance and another hilarious turn fromConner O’Malley, but it all works together in a surprisingly effective way.
‘I Saw the TV Glow’ Is Ambitious and Personal
Before the premiere ofI Saw the TV Glowat the Sundance Film Festival,Schoenbrun discussed how they started writing the film soon after starting to take hormones, and the darkness of that period and the sort of burying one version of yourself before you can become something else entirely informed this story. From that perspective,I Saw the TV Glowis a tremendous metaphor for that experience, with Schoenbrun trying to make the audience feel the jarring impact that period has rather than tell a more direct narrative.
The often uncomfortable sound design, with music that can go from familiar and beautiful to shocking, and the standout cinematography byEric K. Yue(A Thousand and One)all create an aural and visual experience that is more about how it makes you feel rather than what the story is trying to say. Yet this is still a fascinating exploration of the way we can get lost in entertainment, the way entertainment can change us, and why we have nostalgia for the things we grew up with, even when they may not live up to our lofty memories. Schoenbrun weaves all of this together into a confounding but bizarrely relatable story.
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Schoenbrun also perfectly captures this aesthetic and style of the late ’90s, from Fruitopia machines in the high school to brilliant recreations of what the shows of the era looked and felt like to watch. In catching glimpses ofThe Pink Opaque, we see a dedication to bringing these shows to life, but also some really wonderful experimentation from Schoenbrun, especially with the creatures that we see. There’s a horrifying presentation that almost makes it feel like these characters couldn’t have been this terrifying on television, but time has remembered them as something even more uncomfortable. One scene late in the film presents the show’s main villain, Mr. Melancholy, a moon-faced man who is almost like aGeorgesMélièsreference by way ofSkinamarink.
WhileI Saw the TV Glowis a film packed with style, from its nostalgia-filled look to its tremendous soundtrack,what has stuck with me in the months since its premiere at Sundance is its tone. Schoenbrun has created a story about not just being an outsider, but about feeling like you’re almost viewing the world from a perspective that is incorrect. Even when the film is at its quietest and most unassuming, there’s a sense thatsomethingisn’t right, even if you and the characters within this film can’t put their finger on what exactly that is. Especially in the final moments, where Justice Smith’s Owen finds himself uncertain of who he is or how his existence relates to those around him,I Saw the TV Glowhits on something borderline profound, provocative and unnerving in its relatability of feeling like an outsider in your own world. It’s that tone that makes Schoenbrun’s latest a gut punch.
WithI Saw the TV Glow, Schoenbrun hasn’t made a coming-of-age story. They’ve made a coming-apart story. It’s a film that demands to be picked apart and explored. It’s inventive and unconventional in a manner that will perplex and compel in equal measure. Schoenbrun has made a film that will rightfully be one of the most talked about of 2024, and for good reason, as it deserves all the discussion, impressions, and viewpoints possible.Much likeThe Pink Opaque,I Saw the TV Glowis a movie that will draw you into the screen and dare you to let go.
I Saw the TV Glow is a fascinating sophomore feature by Jane Schoenbrun. It’s a weird and beautiful experience that has to be seen to be believed.
I Saw the TV Glowis available to stream on VOD in the U.S. starting June 14.
