Rating 8/10
If you grew up on movies like E.T., The Goonies, or Gremlins, this will rekindle feelings of nostalgia. Sketch is a sensitive throwback built on childhood wonder and a strong foundation of family. The production from writer-director Seth Worley is a whimsical creature feature, but it’s also a touching reflection on death. Sometimes the scariest battles can happen within our own thoughts.
10-year-old Amber Wyatt (Bianca Belle) copes with the loss of her mother as best she can. She pours her thoughts into drawings of wild monsters in a sketchbook. Her widowed father, Taylor (Tony Hale), prepares to sell their family home with help from his real estate agent sister, Liz (D’Arcy Carden). Older brother Jack (Kue Lawrence) attempts to be a pillar of strength. Amber’s grief takes physical shape when her visual diary accidentally falls into a mysterious pond in the woods. Amber’s glitter-covered, crayon-drawn beasts spring to life and begin terrorizing their small town. The creations are as imaginative as they are dangerous. As mayhem spreads, the two youngsters must confront their grief head-on to stop the monsters.
Seth Worley is making his feature-length directorial debut. The idea stemmed from Worley’s reflections on the way children use imagination to process complex emotions. Inspired by 1980s family adventures like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Worley crafted the narrative as a personal story about healing through art. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September 2024 to critical acclaim. After its festival success, faith-based Angel Studios acquired the distribution rights. While the Utah-based distributor did not produce the movie, they saw its themes as aligning with their mission.
Sketch is a tender adventure that explores how children navigate the loss of a parent. It’s an alternately playful and at times frightening fantasy. The creatures are brought to life with impressive effects that have a handmade tactile quality. There’s Dave, a googly-eyed beast with snakes for toes who can flatten someone with a single stomp; the “eye-ders,” creepy spider-like critters that try to steal eyeballs; and a dive-bombing flying reptile that attacks with its beak. Then there’s the shadowy, hooded figure that is capable of generating even more sinister creations. Each entity is creative, yes, but also unsettling. Rated PG, but some of the visuals genuinely push that boundary and could be overwhelming for very young audiences.
Sketch offers an insightful look at the emotional aftermath of losing a parent, all wrapped up in the unusual guise of a monster movie. One welcome addition is when Amber’s school bully, Bowman (Kalon Cox), gets pulled into the confusion. He joins Amber and Jack in battling the monsters she unleashed. He’s unexpectedly sarcastic and downright hilarious. His presence inserts some levity into the dark mood. The camaraderie sneaks up on you and adds another layer of genuine heart. The story earns its emotional weight by accepting that grief is complex and messy, even scary. However, art can be an escape. It’s a poignant reminder for children and adults alike that acknowledging pain might sketch the way forward.
07-28-25