I Saw the TV Glow — Review

Though I SAW THE TV GLOW is undeniably focused on spotlighting issues of personal acceptance through a trans lens, the film emits a universal message about unrealised potential, and the suffocating horror of living life without taking that courageous leap. It takes some time for Jane Schoenbrun’s film to reveal itself but it packs a punch when it does, piling existentialism and bleak terror high, and drowning emotional weight in kaleidoscopic visuals and vibrant neon. I SAW THE TV GLOW isn’t hopeful, it’s a devastating vision of lives lost, and Justice Smith flawlessly concludes the piece with a crushing performance guided by unimaginable pain.

I SAW THE TV GLOW doesn’t possess a conventional narrative, making it an acquired taste. Schoenbrun delights in colourful visuals and heady sequences, lending the film an overarching dreamlike quality that forces us to question not only the content of the piece but how it makes us feel. I SAW THE TV GLOW is rainbow artistry, saluting the power of nostalgic memories and safe comforts while challenging existence without risk and being truthful to ourselves. It doesn’t feel hyperbolic to state the overwhelming effectiveness of the film, that it could and will likely save lives, and that alone makes it a vital piece of experimental and deeply thematic filmmaking.