Sketch, writer/director Seth Worley’s feature debut, balances wonder, terror, and adolescent absurdity in a tale of a young girl whose sorrow-fueled drawings come to calamitous life. The film deftly blends humor, tenderness, and imagination, making it a triumphant and authentic channeling of Amblin Entertainment’s ’80s children’s classics.
The story follows elementary schooler Bowman, whose drawing made by classmate Amber comes to life, setting an ominous tone from the start. As the tale progresses, Worley’s use of horror and suspense techniques is playfully tongue-in-cheek, establishing a suitably menacing mood that segues into action-oriented fantasy. The genuine stars of Sketch are its pre-teen cast, particularly Bianca Belle as sullen and antagonistic Amber, who brings the girl’s fury to life.
The film’s success lies in its ability to keep things spry and silly despite the pain and anguish at its heart. Worley’s script is marked by sharp, hilarious dialogue that makes even the heaviest passages hum. The supporting cast, including Kalon Cox as mouthy Bowman, brings energy and humor to their roles.
Sketch boasts phenomenal visual effects, elevated direction, and a consistency of vision that makes its make-believe world both awe-inspiring and terrifying. With a 92-minute runtime, the film keeps its foot on the gas, never losing sight of its angst and anger at the heart of its story. The result is a slam-bang finale that showcases facing despair as the surest means of transcending it.
Overall, Sketch is a winner cut from a Spielbergian cloth, making it the best all-ages cinematic offering of the summer.
Source: https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/sketch-this-spielberg-esque-movie-is-the-family-film-of-the-summer