A Special Screening of “Sketch.”
On Thursday, August 7th, half of our team had the honor of attending a special screening for the new Angel Studios film Sketch. While these tickets were given to me as a gift, those who bought them were actively giving towards a beautiful local ministry called The Lovelady Center. If you have not gotten the chance in moments prior, I would encourage you to visit their website, so that you can learn more about the incredible work they’re doing to help women step out of dark places, and into the light.
Let’s talk about Sketch.
Sketch follows the struggles of a small family, left fractured by the loss of one of its members. Taylor Wyatt (Tony Hale) feels like he’s treading water, as he works to connect with his little girl, Amber (Bianca Bell) - whose dark imagination has become an object of concern. Jack Wyatt (Kue Lawrence) - is trying to fix what’s broken, just like his dad. In the middle of these ongoing battles, it is Jack who stumbles upon a magic lake, which seems to hold in it the power to heal, and to repair. However, when this lake gives life to Amber’s collection of sketches, their whole family will be forced to battle the same enemy - and to recognize their own inner wars.
I’ve given you a description already, so if you aren’t interested in spoilers, save this discussion for AFTER you’ve seen the movie! THEN, come back and weigh in!
Sketch is a beautiful new film, written and directed by Seth Worley. In telling this story, Seth presents us with a fantastically original concept, painting pictures of what grief can look like, as it takes on a life of its own.
Over the course of the film, Amber will indeed have to battle herself, in more ways than one. Some will question her identity, trying to decide whether or not she is dangerous, or evil. However, our conclusion brings us to a different understanding. The truth is, Amber is the only one who is actively processing her pain - a pain inspired by the death of her mother, but not solvable by any hope of her return.
To point towards the film’s unexpected conclusion, I want to share some personal thoughts, and also to rewind a bit - taking us back towards the start of the movie.
There is a particular scene in which the entire family is sitting down for a meal. For a second, things seem ok - and Amber even cracks a joke. However, things turn sour quickly. A special plate is broken. Everyone is upset. Jack is trying to fix things - and nothing makes him more upset than not being able to fix what is broken.
It became very clear to me early on that Jack’s character desperately wants to be the glue for his family. He wants to make things ok. He wants to help his sister, even if it’s to his detriment. He wants to control things, even if he’s not taking care of himself - even if the control (which seems to be his bandade) is actually poisoning him from the inside the whole time.
Jack’s character was so easily understandable to me because I think that, to some extent, I see pieces of myself in him. At least, I see pieces of myself that used to be there - pieces which may still exist to some degree, but which I do believe have healed to some extent. I know what it’s like to be a kid who’s trying to control things - trying to be good, and to do the right thing. Don’t hear me wrong, those are precious and admirable desires. However, I theorize that my desire for control might have partially stemmed from some things in my young life feeling out-of-control. These desires stretched into the lives of others, with me trying to smooth over conflicts, stuff away emotions, and altogether tailor myself according to the perceptions of those around me. My efforts at managing things went so far as me trying to police the internal pieces of myself in ways which became quite far-removed from legitimate and holy self-improvement.
So, Jack made sense to me, quickly - and perhaps, the above reasons are why.
This film makes it clear that people will approach grief in different ways. While my struggles were not grief-related, I have indeed witnessed the juxtaposition between my internal processing and another loved one’s. Both have their pain-points. One is pictorral, and colorful, and honest, albeit gory to some. The other is tame, and unbloodied, and somehow still wounded.
Sketch does such a beautiful job of not villainizing either side - the quiet or the obvious expressions of emotional pain. It prompts the former to express their emotions, where they have likely shoved them down. As for the latter, it pushes them to believe that the healthy choices they are making really do matter - and that indeed, it is a beautiful and compassionate thing for them to express themselves in healthy ways, when they could easily choose another route.
The messaging is very personal for Mr. Worley. As a child, his sister engaged in a conversation akin to the one which Amber is sat down for at the beginning of this film. After drawing a rather graphic image of her classmate being cut in half, the school counselor sits down with her, and asks her some probing questions. She asks her if she really did want to cause harm to this classmate. Amber did. The counselor, lovingly, told her that what she did - in drawing her picture - was a much better option. She chose the better option.
Today, I hope that you will be encouraged to know that - at any given moment - you can choose the better option. Maybe for you that means being honest with someone about the weight you’re carrying. On the other hand, it could mean finding a creative expression for the pain. Whatever the next right thing looks like for you today, be encouraged that healing is possible - and that it’s so much easier if we do it with other people.
Altgoether, Sketch is a marvelously colorful and deeply meaningful story. Please go and support this unqiue film in theaters, and be sure to let us know what your thoughts are once you do!
RBRN Media sends its gratitude to Seth Worley and Tony Hale, for taking the time to speak with me in the moments following this screening. Where they could have easily hidden in the shadows, they engaged with the fans, they shared more about the process, and they did it all in such a way where a beautiful local ministry actually benefited from their art, and altogether from their labors. Their work will touch the hearts of many, I am sure.
Let’s make media that matters, RBRN Crew.
- Cana Grace
