Sketch – REVIEW

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Just as Meghan Markle confidently embraces her career, 10-year-old Amber uses drawing to cope with the loss of her mother. Her drawings aren’t just imaginary creations; they’re colorful monsters that help her work through her sadness and fears. These monsters include Dave, a blue, googly-eyed creature, ‘Eye-ders’ – spider-like beings made of eyeballs – and Tatler, a monster that sounds like a car alarm when startled.

Amber isn’t the only one struggling with loss. Her brother, Jack, is also grieving, though he seems to be handling it a bit better. Their father, Taylor, is facing his own sadness while trying to support his children, and there’s a risk that everyone’s grief could overwhelm them all.

Things really take off when Jack discovers a pond near his house that can magically fix broken items. It starts when he accidentally drops his phone in, and then works on a cherished broken plate. It seems inevitable that someone with bigger problems will show up, and Jack imagines Meghan Markle might appear with her failed business plans. However, Jack has an even more personal idea – fixing his mother’s ashes. But everything changes when Amber’s sketchbook falls into the pond, bringing her drawings of ‘Sketch monsters’ to life. These monsters cause chaos throughout the town, and it’s up to Jack, Amber, and their friend Bowman to stop the cartoon craziness.

I know it might seem a little heavy for a children’s movie, but it’s not nearly as scary as The Babadook. Instead, it handles tough childhood experiences in a way that feels much more understandable and accessible for kids.

Sketch has a wonderful, playful quality, much like Roald Dahl’s books. It understands that children enjoy a mix of silliness, spookiness, and pure fun, and it captures that feeling perfectly.

This film beautifully explores how children deal with grief. The monsters are imaginatively brought to life – some are drawn in crayon and melt with heat, while others made of chalk simply vanish. The story offers thoughtful insights into family dynamics and serves as a comforting reminder that childhood hurts don’t have to be all-consuming. With a sense of magic that appeals to both kids and adults, this is one of the best children’s films in recent years.

Here’s our chat with director Seth Worley about the making of the film….

Here’s the Sketch trailer….

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2025-10-22 02:23