The Justice Smith led psychological horror film I Saw The TV Glow has landed on streaming service MAX, following its theatrical release in early May.
A24’s I Saw The TV Glow was written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun and stars Brigette Lundy-Paine alongside Smith as two 90’s era teenagers who hyper-fixate on a connection to their favorite TV show, causing the lines between reality and fantasy to blur. The film also stars Fred Durst & Danielle Deadwyler and features Indie musician Phoebe Bridgers as herself, the latter also making it onto the film’s soundtrack.
LGBTQ writer and director Jane Schoenbrun cites the creation of this film coming from a period of transition in their life, and the themes in the film heavily reflect their journey, hoping that it would be able to inspire others feeling similarly. “This film was written in the immediate aftermath of beginning transition, as my entire world and everything that I thought of as my home was being called into question while I was also running towards a future that felt exciting to me in a way that I had never done before. The movie is really trying to just, not so much tell you how that feels, but to create an authentic expression from within that experience,” Schoenbrun tells ComicBook.
Credited for its vibrant aesthetics, atmospheric soundtrack, and passionate message I Saw The TV Glow is likely to be a film that finds greater outreach with streaming audiences. The film had only grossed $5 million on its $10 million budget earlier this year. While it is not unusual for niche indie horror to face limited reception theatrically, it is hopeful that having A24’s name attached on the widely accessible MAX will aid in this film in finding its crowd.