We checked out the newest film from A24, I Saw the TV Glow, to see what it was all about.
There was something about I Saw the TV Glow that grabbed my attention right away. The idea of a television show warping reality, or at least making you question it, was an intriguing one.
Make no mistake about it, I Saw the TV Glow will absolutely wreck your mind. The story begins in the 1990s and follows two teens, Owen and Maddy, who become friends over a shared love of a TV show called The Pink Opaque. Things begin to get weird for Owen after Maddy abruptly disappears. At the same time, The Pink Opaque comes to an end, but it was just a TV show…wasn’t it?
At the outset, anyone who wishes to see this film should be aware that there are multiple references made to child abuse throughout the film. There is also one scene that could be interpreted as self-harm. Please take note if those things trigger you.
Outside of the horror element of this story, I Saw the TV Glow is a beautiful homage to late 90s television shows. The filmmakers even went the extra mile of filming footage for The Pink Opaque on 35 mm film and running it through VHS and Betamax tape to make it look like the shows 90s kids used to watch growing up. A lot of us remember gathering around the TV to watch that show that everyone somehow knew about and in that regard I Saw the TV Glow brings back some pretty good memories.
The rest of the film though…that’s where it gets interesting and more than a little mind-bending. The entire story is designed in such a way that you cannot tell for certain what is true and what is a lie. True, it’s heavily implied that one explanation given in the film is the truth, but even then there’s a part of your mind that wonders: but is it true?
And that’s where the film ultimately gets you: no matter which explanation is the truth, I Saw the TV Glow tells a supremely messed up story. Worse, it’s a depressing story, as there is no good ending to be found here. I think that was a bold choice. It would’ve been very easy to bend the story a certain way and have the story end somewhat happily, but I think that would’ve lessened the story’s impact.
At its core, I believe I Saw the TV Glow is a story about finding oneself. Or, more accurately, what happens when someone is on the verge of finding themself but is too scared to take that final leap. Is that a dark interpretation? Yes, it is. But is it one we can learn from and use to grow ourselves? Absolutely.
I Saw the TV Glow will absolutely not be for everyone, but it is a film that everyone should see at least once. It will leave you questioning everything you think you know and force you to ask yourself: if this is real life, am I living to my fullest or just going through the motions?
