George Carmi’s review published on Letterboxd:
That’s an insane film. That’s a nightmare. Those are some of the most frightening sequences I have seen since Hereditary. The immediate reaction this film got out of me was the craziest thing I’ve experienced in my 27 years of film-watching.
Every so often comes a film that feels monumental, not necessarily in scale (i.e. Dune: Part 2) but in its influence and its captivating expression. It’s almost intimidating to even discuss and its weird talking about it after one viewing knowing how much more I’ll pick up on after a second watch.
This is an essential piece of filmmaking. Whether it impacts you or not (it absolutely will), I Saw the TV Glow feels undeniable in its importance. Something you watch and just know is going to leave an immense lasting impression on a lot of people. Certain films have that transcendental aura that leave you shell-shocked and at a loss of breath… feeling like a hopeless wanderer on a reflective journey… I Saw the TV Glow is that film. A surreal coming-of-age acid trip laced with imagery equally as beautiful as they can be horrifying. Truly… shot-selections that simultaneously impact you emotionally while also feeling like a nightmare you can’t seem to wake up from. Gorgeous in its neon aesthetic… a perfect color grading to effectively translate emotion this dreadful and euphoric. It’s stylistically stunning and an almost mesmeric narrative (with a very sinister undertone) that immerses you almost immediately. There is so much to chew on here and this film certainly requires multiple viewings to digest in its entirety… as well as someone much smarter than me to dissect its narrative. Jane Schoenbrun’s fingerprints are all over this. They continues to perfect their craft in filmmaking while delivering something with an insanely personal and intimate feel. Between We’re All Going to the World’s Fair and I Saw the TV Glow, they managed to jump to near the top of my list of favorite working filmmakers. Everything about their style and aesthetic is so cool and so unique. I simply cannot imagine being this creative.
Dreadful, yet euphoric. Beautiful, yet nightmarish. This entire review feels oxymoronic… and it kind of is. But I think that’s the beauty of this film and the genius of Jane Schoenbrun.