20 Best Movies Of 2024 (So Far)
6. I Saw The TV Glow
The second film from Jane Schoenbrun, I Saw the TV Glow is a hallucinogenic psychological drama about gender dysphoria, how we connect to our favourite media, and human relationships forged by art and trauma.
This write-up may make I Saw the TV Glow as something far too emotionally heavy to settle into, but just like the way protagonists Owen and Maddie become entranced by their favourite show, Schoebrun's careful control of the themes at play and keen eye for visual trickery makes it an easy story to become lost in.
With stars Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine delivering deeply empathetic and brave performances, the drama is almost Lynchian in its construction and imagery, but clearly crafted from the real, lived experiences of its artistic writer-director.
Visually bold, I Saw the TV Glow is a queer allegory wrapped in 90s nostalgia, and the twists it delivers - mixed with its penetrating assessments of art as medicine and mental health - will leave an indelible mark on anyone willing to hold on and take the journey.