I Saw the TV Glow (2024)
Directed by Jane Schoenbrun
[Rated PG-13] 1hr 40min
★★★★½
I Saw the TV Glow is a horror coming-of-age drama about two teenagers who bond together over a TV show. They both use the show as an escape from their struggles in real life, but their obsession with it eventually begins to have an effect on their perception of reality.
Jane Schoenbrun brilliantly utilizes every aspect of this film to create their own unique aesthetic. The soundtrack, cinematography, sound design, lighting and more all contribute to the atmosphere of melancholic nostalgia that permeates throughout the entire movie. Rather than using its horror elements to scare the audience, the film instead directs that horror towards the characters themselves, allowing the audience to experience a more personal portrayal of the genre from Schoenbrun’s distinct perspective. As a result, the story effectively conveys the significance of identity and the importance of embracing it, while also providing a thoughtful and profound examination of how people are shaped by their relationships with the media they consume.
I highly recommend I Saw the TV Glow to anyone interested in a modern interpretation of the horror genre that heavily involves themes of nostalgia and identity. Both it’s content and presentation are completely original, and it offers a deeply emotional experience unlike anything seen in a typical horror movie. Overall, this is a poignant film that many people can relate to with its beautiful reflection on the connections between our personal attachments to narrative media and the discovery of our true identities.
I Saw the TV Glow is currently available to stream on Max. Click here to watch the Official Trailer.
– Review by Will Hopper