I Saw the TV Glow | SXSW 2024 Film Review

I Saw the TV Glow is a complicated film to discuss without diving into the nuances and undercurrent inherently contained within its very dense script.

Therefore, without venturing into spoiler territory, the film follows teenagers Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine) and Owen (Justice Smith) and their decade-long bonding over a late-night TV series known as The Pink Opaque beginning in 1996. Maddy is withdrawn and seemingly anti-establishment, while Owen is barely present and lacking in basic social skills.

Their bond is similar to so many teens of that era, especially if you loved shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (keep a sharp eye out for Amber Benson in a brief cameo). While that backdrop is already an exciting setup for a film – celebrating our mutual admiration for 90s TV with deep thematic elements – ultimately I Saw the TV Glow is aiming 4-5 layers deeper than that.

Television and movies connect us, they bind us. TV, in particular, with its endless characters and scenarios offers audiences the ability to find a character relatable to their own story, their realization of the human experience. But what does that say about us? Is this due to our lack of clarity on our own truths or journey? Why can we, as people, so often identify with random characters on a television screen so much more than with our friends or families?

Writer and director Jane Schoenbrun begins with a lofty idea, which flourishes into a more abstract meditation on the search for identity and personal connection. Obviously these are complicated and heady themes, and admirably, Schoenbrun confronts them head on under the guise of a fictitious supernaturally themed TV show. Truly, the concept is exceedingly clever.

Unfortunately, I See the TV Glow falters under the weight of its own ambitions. Justice Smith’s Owen is a lethargic character, barely present, and devoid of emotional connection. It’s understandable why Smith is playing the character this way, yet that does not necessarily make for an intriguing narrative. Brigette Lundy-Paine resonates more on the screen through her dedication to quirk and odd character tics, yet it’s nothing the actors are doing that really dilutes the film.

Great ideas do not always connect, such is the case here. Jane Schoenbrun’s screenplay is more philosophical than linear, but even still the story fails to make cohesive sense. It rumbles through to its conclusion as a series of ominous vignettes, stitched together, rather than a sensical order of events. This film will ostensibly belong to the “You just didn’t get it” crowd, and that is fine. Except I completely understood the objective, it simply does not work as a film.

Hopefully, Jane Schoenbrun continues to hone her craft, as the ideas inherently contained within I Saw the TV Glow are indicative of artistic growth. There are genuine moments and shots of creative expression that demonstrate innate potential. While this film struggles to justify its own existence, the heart of a burgeoning creator can clearly be seen.

Listen to our full podcast covering the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival on this episode of The Hollywood Outsider podcast: