“I Saw the TV Glow” is a deeply atmospheric, experimental fantasy horror film that taps into the discomfort of adolescence and exploring your own identity. Blurring the reality with the supernatural, writer / director Jane Schoenbrun (who is non-binary) explores the agony and confusing of growing up when you’re a little bit different than everyone else.
The film’s story centers around Owen (Justice Smith), a mixed-race teen navigating the mundanities and complexities of suburban life. Owen’s journey into self-discovery takes an eerie turn when his lesbian classmate Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine) introduces him to a strange late night television show that seems to pull viewers into a dark, supernatural world just beneath the surface of their own. The two have a series of unusual adventures, all while struggling with their own personal demons.
The film explores Owen’s struggles with gender identity and his place in the world, wrapping those personal questions in a hazy, unnerving narrative about queerness and belonging. The show that Owen becomes obsessed with seems to offer an escape, but it also becomes an obsession that distorts his perception of reality, especially as he begins to see monsters that rip bloody hearts from their victims. The horror here is more about the uncomfortable tension of the unknown rather than jump-scares or traditional gore-based terror. Think of it as more of a thematic experience than a straight-up horror movie.
Indie film fans will really enjoy Schoenbrun’s experimental style of directing, employing surreal visuals and abstract moments that echo the feeling of being trapped in a dream – or more appropriately, a nightmare. Everything is just slightly off-kilter, where things are just unusual enough to make you question what’s real and what’s imagined. For some, the lack of a clear narrative structure and the film’s slow, deliberate pacing might make it feel alienating. But for those who are willing to embrace its unique vibe, it can be haunting in a way that will chill your soul.
The film’s queerness is woven into its fabric, from Owen’s exploration of gender identity to the presence of LGBTQ+ characters like Maddy who challenge the norms around them. There’s a sense of alienation and longing that resonates deeply, especially as Owen’s journey takes a rocky path to self-acceptance. Some of the symbolism is heavy-handed, like the monsters that obviously represent the internal beasts that the characters face when dealing with issues of identity, fear, and repression. Despite the overt metaphor, Schoenbrun executes the film’s messaging quite well.
“I Saw the TV Glow” is not a film for everyone. It’s unnerving and unsettling, with strange, disorienting imagery and moments of physical horror that often leave much to the imagination. This haunting meditation on the struggles of queer identity and adolescence is challenging and experimental, which makes it a film that will stick with you whether you love it or hate it.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 