Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023)

By: Mike Ward on Friday, April 28

PG-13 Running Time: 105 mins

SHOULD I SEE IT?

YES

  • Instantly ranks up with the best of the young adult/teen genre of recent years.

  • Not only is Abby Ryder Fortson tremendous as Margaret, in a breakout role, but here I come saying this could be Rachel McAdams’ finest performance to date.

  • Honest, pure, unassuming, and, perhaps most importantly, unafraid to talk openly and honestly with its audience. So many of our kids need a movie like this and we finally have a Judy Blume adaptation she, and we, can be proud of!

NO

  • You have advocated for the banning of this book from a library somewhere. And yet - you should still watch the movie.

  • You mistakenly think this is a movie only for women to watch. Target audience acknowledged, the movie speaks far wiser and more profound than some will give it credit for.

  • Could it be edgier? Maybe. Could it flesh out a few more supporting characters? I guess. Are you nit-picking? Absolutely you are. This is a charming, wonderful, thoughtful film and an instant classic for the genre.


OUR REVIEW

Kelly Fremon Craig's long-awaited adaptation of Judy Blume's classic novel, "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret," is a triumph in nearly every way. The film, set in 1970, the same year the book was first published, feels fresh and alive, while still capturing the essence of the book's timeless themes.

Abby Ryder Fortson shines as Margaret, a young girl navigating the challenges of adolescence while grappling with big questions about faith and her place in a strange new world. Uprooted from an apartment in New York, on the cusp of her sixth grade year, she and her family relocate to New Jersey for her father’s new job. With a sense of care and compassion, Fortson brings Margaret to life, embodying her imperfect nature, even stumbling into believing rumors and falsities about a classmate.

But it is Rachel McAdams who steals the show as Margaret's mother, Barbara. McAdams brings a dynamic range to a character that is often relegated to comedic fluff or filler in lesser teen-oriented films. Instead, McAdams crafts a complex woman, trying to remain poised and strong for her family, while multiple and rather sudden life changes are hitting her all at once.

Margaret’s dad, Herb, is portrayed by Benny Safdie in a rather weakly written but serviceable role. Great timing is again found with Kathy Bates as Sylvia, who loves nothing more than bonding with her granddaughter - pretty much the most important thing in her world.

The cast overall is truly top notch - Fortson jells wonderfully in scenes with her makeshift group of best friends, including soft-spoken Janie (Amari Price) and the awkward Gretchen (Katherine Kupferer). Then there is Nancy (Elle Graham), arranger of a “secret” after-school club for the friend group.

Craig’s film also embraces the notion that Margaret is fearful of her youth slipping away. For the girls who comprise that secret club Nancy created, they are not only talking about things like periods, bras, and boys. They are also asking questions of one another, somewhat fearful of what gets left behind when those grown-up challenges begin to impede upon their daily lives.

Kids desperately want to grow up, but, in doing so, they leave a part of them behind. Barbara sees it. Margaret feels it.

And that is why an agnostic young Margaret, walled off from religion by her parents for deeply personal reasons, turns to God to seek clarity and understanding. All while asking the proverbial question that may never quite get answered to her satisfaction.

What Blume understood 53 years ago is that kids want the world to open up for them faster than they are ready. Adolescence was certainly tough back then and it is increasingly tough now, with faster ways to communicate and the ravenous consumption of TikTok, texting, Instagram, YouTube, and all the rest.

Yet some things seldom change. Though the world may come at kids faster than ever, 1970 kids and 2023 kids still want more - more access, more trust, more exploration, more understanding and more power to express themselves and amplify what they are feeling.

Craig understands these emotions and analyzes Margaret’s perception of her new situation. She dials into the look and feel of the time period with precision, allowing cinematographer Tim Ives to effectively funnel the film's happenings through Margaret's view of things.

For those who grew up with a Judy Blume book in the backpack, book shelf, or school library, there is so much to appreciate here. Craig consistently draws parallels between the source material and the script so well, you don’t have to be an 11-year-old girl in 1970 to understand the struggle, the desire, and the hopes of Margaret, her friends, and her family.

Overall, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. is precisely the kind of film that will speak to young adults and teenagers with an ease and accessibility few films come close to achieving. Parents and guardians should engage with open arms and not fear a film that simply seeks an honest, pure, and fearless discussion on all the messiness found with adolescence.

CAST & CREW

Starring: Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Benny Safdie, Elle Graham, Amari Price, Katherine Kupferer, Aidan Wojtak-Hissong, Kate MacCluggage, Landon Baxter, Echo Kellum, Simms May, Zackary Brooks

Director: Kelly Fremon Craig
Written by: Kelly Fremon Craig
Based on the book written by Judy Blume, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.”
Release Date : April 28, 2023
Lionsgate