Martha O'Hara
“I Saw the TV Glow” stands as a stunning film that travels between the realm of reality and television fiction, written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun, featuring talents such as Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine. This is a film that constantly bewilders the audience, plunging them into an aesthetic dream deeply drenched in neon tones.
If you are inclined towards cinema that conceals meanings and constantly questions the audience, “I Saw the TV Glow” is an ideal film for you. Conversely, if you prefer comfortable and clear films, you may find it incomprehensible and overly diffuse.
Plotline
The film’s plot revolves around Owne and Maddy, who become friends. Both get immersed in an eccentric television show that seems like an uncanny blend of childishness and horror, very much like their own lives, which gradually start to blur with the TV series.
The Fascination for the Unknown: Introducing “I Saw the TV Glow”
“I Saw the TV Glow” is an excellent film that continually challenges the audience, aiming to disrupt their patterns and introducing something novel that makes them simultaneously comfortable and uncomfortable. It initiates a journey towards maturity and the terrifying ghosts emerging from childhood.
Each scene from this film embodies a continuous homage and is an aesthetically and poetically laden discourse. It is undoubtedly a pretentious film at heart—an audacious, modern yet classic film with a pronounced retro vibe. While it may seem intellectual, it is filled with feelings and ideas with excellent performances that stand out, especially by young Brigette Lundy-Paine, who portrays Maddy.
The film also features a dramatic monologue that undeniably holds the centerpiece of the movie. It is one of those moments that every actor prepares for but rarely gets to perform, and Lundy-Paine does it brilliantly, with feeling.
Director Jane Schoenbrun shines throughout “I Saw the TV Glow”, creating an auteur film with her distinctive signature, instilling a torrent of personality into the story and aesthetics.
Our Opinion
“I Saw the TV Glow” is distinctive in every sense. It is one of those films that you might love or hate, but it will definitely not leave you indifferent.
