The Most Mind-Bending A24 Supernatural Horror Movie Arrives On Max

This movie is truly one for all the ‘90s kids out there, especially if you were into shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as the parallels between the two are obvious – it even features a brief appearance from Amber Benson who played Tara Maclay on the fan-favorite series. And, while this year has been a solid one for followers of the spooky-scary genre, with titles like Longlegs, MaXXXine, Abigail, and Cuckoo drawing in a multitude of viewers, I Saw the TV Glow is a movie that stands in its own category.

As trippy as it is emotionally and mentally complex, I Saw the TV Glow follows the story of Owen, a kid who largely keeps to himself but lives for TV. When his path crosses with an older girl named Maddy, he discovers the young adult show, The Pink Opaque. Maddy is already obsessed with the series and soon, Owen finds himself just as enthralled. Without giving too much away, things go off the rails for both characters as they question reality and wonder if they’re the people they’ve grown up thinking, or if they’re actually Isabel and Tara – the two main characters in The Pink Opaque. 

When audiences are watching I Saw the TV Glow, they’ll need to pay close attention to nearly every second of the movie and form their own opinion of what was really happening when the credits roll. There are a lot of pieces that allude to either side of the case, the case being whether they’re trapped in a different reality or if it’s just an obsession pushed to the edge.

I Saw the TV Glow stars Detective Pikachu and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ Justice Smith as Owen, with Atypical and Bill & Ted Face the Music’s Brigette Lundy-Paine as Maddy. The film is filled with some absolutely incredible cameos that will have you questioning your own reality as a nearly unrecognizable Fred Durst (yes, the lead singer of Limp Bizkit) and Phoebe Bridgers are also on the call sheet.

Meanwhile, sticking to its very ‘90s roots, along with Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum Amber Benson, eagle-eyed viewers will also spot Michael C. Maronna and Danny Tamberelli of The Adventures of Pete & Pete in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment.

Beneath its mind-bending moments and eye-catching visual style, I Saw the TV Glow is a movie about being trapped in a body that isn’t yours, with director Jane Schoenbrun setting out to capture the trans experience. Schoenbrun is also the helmer behind another psychological horror film, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, which is also streaming on Max where you can catch I Saw the TV Glow.