What’s It About

Still reeling from the unexpected loss of his wife, a single dad (Hale) navigates uncharted territory when his daughter’s comically dark, scribbled drawings begin to come to life and wreak havoc on their small town.

MOVIESinMO REVIEW

Most movies I have watched about losing someone you love miss the point entirely. They throw in dead parent and/or grandparent to pointlessly evoke sadness, and move on like it never happened. “Sketch,” on the other hand, actually explores what grief looks like and demonstrates a family process through it together. Seth Worley wrote and directed this film, and it’s his first time making a full-length movie. He clearly knows what he’s doing because “Sketch” feels like it came from a major studio, even though it’s an independent film that started at the Toronto Film Festival in 2025. The story follows a dad named Taylor, played by Tony Hale, who’s trying to raise his two kids alone after their mom died. His daughter Amber draws constantly, but lately her artwork has gotten really dark and scary. Instead of colorful flowers and rainbows, she’s sketching monsters with blood and sharp teeth. Her teachers get worried, but the movie shows us that sometimes dark art helps people deal with dark feelings. Amber’s brother Jack finds a mysterious lake in the woods near their house. When Amber’s sketchbook tumbles into the water by accident, something wonderful happens. All of Amber’s hand-drawn monsters come to life and begin causing havoc in their town. These are not your standard movie monsters. They look just like kids draw monsters – fuzzy, colorful, and wonderfully bizarre. One monster called “The Bloodeater” does exactly what its name suggests, while another tiny creature called “The Tattler” screams to help a giant blind monster find its targets. What makes “Sketch” special is how it handles heavy topics without talking down to kids. Grief is scary and confusing, especially for children. This movie shows that it’s okay to feel angry, sad, or even draw creepy pictures when someone you love dies. The film doesn’t shame anyone for having dark thoughts. Instead, it suggests that keeping those feelings inside might be even scarier than sharing them. Tony Hale gives an amazing performance as the struggling single dad. He’s funny when he needs to be, but also shows real emotion when dealing with his own grief. The two kids, Bianca Belle and Kue Lawrence, act like actual children instead of tiny adults reading scripts. Even Kalon Cox, who plays the school bully Bowman, brings energy to his role without going over the top. The visual effects deserve special praise. These monsters look incredible, especially considering the movie probably didn’t have a huge budget. They maintain that crayon-and-glitter look that makes them feel authentic to a child’s imagination, while still being scary enough to make you jump. When the creatures get destroyed, they explode into puffs of colored smoke, which is both satisfying and beautiful to watch. The filmmakers, under the direction of Seth Worley, maintain the aspect of family rather than change the story into a bigger disaster film. Unlike other films, there is no military response or a group of scientists trying to study the monsters. Just kids trying to figure out how to survive while their dad, as a usual dad, is trying to find them. This scope is smaller and makes everything feel more personal and authentic. The film does a great job of walking the line between being scary and being a fun time. Some scenes might frighten younger kids, but it’s rated PG for a reason. Parents know their children best, but most kids who can handle movies like “Monsters, Inc.” or “The Incredibles” should be fine with “Sketch.” The scary parts serve the story instead of just trying to shock people. What really impressed me is how the film encourages creativity. Once kids see Amber’s sketches jump off the page, I can bet there are some kids who will want to get their sketchbook and make some monsters of their own. There is also a feature in the movie’s app where moviegoers and readers can create their own firms, which is a smart way of keeping that creativity alive in the real world. There is one strange factor in the story, and that is the release by Angel Studios, which usually releases religious-based films. But “Sketch” doesn’t push any religious messages or political ideas. It’s just a good story about a family working through tough times. There’s an annoying advertisement for their app during the credits, but you can just leave when the movie ends. “Sketch” reminds me of classic Steven Spielberg movies where kids go on adventures and learn important lessons. But this film brings something fresh to that formula. It shows that art can be therapy, and that families can overcome anything by sticking together and talking about their problems. The movie’s message is simple but powerful: life has good parts and bad parts, and you need both to make a complete picture. Like Amber’s drawings, there are definitely dark and scary things, but that does not mean they are bad, only that they are true. If you’re a parent looking for movies that can start critical conversations with your children, “Sketch” will get the job done. It speaks to death and grief as directly as possible while still being for children and honoring the seriousness of these topics. And unlike many family films that talk down to their audience, this one treats kids like they’re smart enough to understand complex emotions. “Sketch” proves that movies about grief don’t have to be depressing. They can be magical, funny, and hopeful while still acknowledging that losing someone hurts. This film deserves to be seen by families everywhere, and it’s the kind of movie that might actually help someone going through a difficult time. Go see it with your family. Kids will love the monsters, parents will appreciate the heart, and everyone will leave the theater talking about what they saw.

OUR RATING – AN ANGELIC 8

MEDIA

• Genre – Family
• Street date
• Digital – August 26, 2025
• Blu-Ray/DVD – October 14, 2025
• Video – 1080p
• Screen size – 2.39:1
• Sound – English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1, Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1, Audio descriptive
• Subtitles – English SDH, Spanish, French, and Portuguese

Extras

• 2 Commentary Tracks
   – One with the young cast
   – One with the directors & producers
• Q and A with the Cast
• Roundtable Discussion with the cast and director