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.




