This may not be a childhood movie/show, but this 2024 film is amazing. I watched it randomly and I wasn’t disappointed it may be confusing at first to some. I feel if it wasn’t rushed it could be so much better but maybe the vague sense of detail is what makes it great? I honestly was expecting a cheesy horror movie. “I saw the tv glow” has a great storyline and it leaves it up to the viewer to interpret what certain scenes mean. I honestly like thought-provoking movies. It prioritizes atmosphere and emotions over plot. long after the credits it will still have you thinking about it.
The movie starts with a young middle schooler being introduced to a tv show/book “the pink opaque” by an older girl with a deep love for the show. then they plan to watch the show together by having the young boy pretend he is at a friend’s house for a sleepover. the pink opaque is about 2 girls fighting supernatural beings and they have matching tattoos. they continue this for 2 years until Maddy (older girl) wants to run away with Owen (main character) after her friend leaves her and she becomes depressed. Owen unable to go through with it leaves the girls house crying in tears. This traumatizes and leaves Owen unable to separate tv from reality.
I’m not going to spoil the whole entire movie it’s hard to explain without giving the whole plot away at once.
The pink opaque shows escapism and the struggle with identity; It shows the comfort of not living in reality, but it also shows the horrible downsides it brings. It shows that living in the fantasy world of your favorite tv shows can be fun, but it hinders personal growths and makes it hard for you to live in society. the pink opaque also touches on fear of having an uncertain future and struggling with belonging. The main dilemma it shows is his struggles with sexuality (spoiler incoming) in one scene he can be seen trying on a dress with Maddy and thinking he is a female character from the pink opaque. Maddy and Owens characters grapple with feelings of being different and not fitting into traditional societal expectations.
do you have a movie/show you like to watch with your friends?
do you consider yourself normal?
have you ever been distant from reality because of a book or tv show?