Sketch – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Sketch

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2025

70%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A girl's sketches escape into reality, bringing monsters, chaos, and a crash course in processing grief through art—if you can handle the scares.

95%

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Sketch

movie

PG, 2025

70%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A girl's sketches escape into reality, bringing monsters, chaos, and a crash course in processing grief through art—if you can handle the scares.

95%

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Screenwise Verdict

Sketch has a killer premise—who hasn't imagined their drawings coming to life?—and it tackles grief in a way that's rare for family films. The problem is it doesn't quite commit. Critics loved it (95%!), but audiences are more lukewarm (6.6 IMDb, 3.2 Letterboxd), and reviewers keep using words like 'safe,' 'bland,' and 'superficial.'

The scares are real enough that multiple sources warn against showing it to kids under 11, but the emotional payoff feels muted. It's got bathroom jokes alongside dead-mom sadness, which is a tonal whiplash some families will find jarring.

If you've got a tween who loves creature features and is ready for heavier themes, this could be a solid pick—especially if you're willing to have real conversations about grief afterward. But if you're hoping for Pixar-level emotional depth or just want something the whole family can enjoy without age-gating the 8-year-old, you might want to skip this one.

Age Fit

This is squarely aimed at tweens 11-13 who can handle mild scares, fantasy violence, and the emotional weight of a protagonist grieving her mother. Younger kids will likely find the monsters too frightening and the grief theme too heavy without significant parent support.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The film centers on a grieving 10-year-old processing her mother's death through art, with a positive message about channeling emotions into creative outlets. Family reunion and emotional communication are central themes. However, reviewers note the grief handling feels 'bland' or 'superficial,' and there's bathroom humor plus occasional name-calling that undercuts the emotional core. The tone balances whimsy with real loss, but doesn't always land the emotional beats.

Imaginative

The premise—drawings coming to life from a magical pond—is genuinely creative and taps into every kid's fantasy about their art becoming real. The film celebrates self-expression through sketching and visual creativity. Reviews mention 'Amblin and Pixar vibes' and note it's trying to be its own original family classic. The monster designs and chaos that ensues from unleashed imagination offer solid creative fuel, even if execution is described as 'playing it safe.'

Safe

Rated PG for 'scary action, some violence, thematic elements, language and rude humor.' Multiple sources warn of giant-monster attacks, fantasy violence, and frightening moments that make it unsuitable for under-11s without parental guidance. The grief/death-of-parent theme is heavy for younger kids. Occasional strong language and crude bathroom jokes appear. Australian classification recommends parental guidance for 12-13 year-olds. While there's no gore or sexual content, the scary scenes and emotional weight create genuine concern for sensitive or younger viewers.

Enriching

The central lesson about processing difficult emotions through creative expression is valuable and explicitly praised by reviewers. The film addresses grief, loss, and the importance of talking about feelings—all meaningful topics. However, multiple reviews describe the handling as 'superficial' or that it 'plays it safe,' suggesting the depth isn't quite there. It's more of a gentle introduction to these themes than a profound exploration. Entertainment value seems solid (95% RT critics, 83% audience) but not exceptional (6.6 IMDb, 3.2 Letterboxd suggests it's fine, not great).

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely creative premise that celebrates kids' imagination and artistic expression
Tackles grief and emotional processing in a kid-accessible (if somewhat surface-level) way
Strong critical reception (95% RT) suggests solid family entertainment value
Encourages the idea that channeling big feelings into creativity is healthy and productive
Monster mayhem mixed with heart—think Amblin-style creature feature for the tween set

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What to Watch For

Scary monster attacks and fantasy violence that Australian reviewers say is unsuitable for under-11s
The grief storyline is heavy—mom's death is the emotional center, and younger kids will need support processing it
Bathroom humor and occasional strong language/name-calling that some families may find off-putting
Reviews suggest the emotional depth is 'bland' or 'superficial'—it touches important themes but doesn't fully commit

Conversation Starters

"If your drawings could come to life, what would you want to create? What would be scary about that?"
"Amber draws monsters when she's angry or sad. What do you do when you have really big feelings?"
"Why do you think Amber's family had trouble talking about her mom? Is it hard to talk about sad things in our family?"
"If you could put one feeling into a drawing, what would it look like?"

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