Review: "Are You There God? It's Me Margaret." Is So Good, it Transcends its Genre
Friday, April 28, 2023 at 1:05PM By Ben Miller
I am not a woman. I did not grow up with any sisters. My personal experience never crossed paths with Judy Blume books. All that being said, Kelly Fremon Craig's (The Edge of Seventeen) film adaptation of Blume's classic bestseller Are You There God? It's Me Margaret. transcends any genre bias to you might bring to it. It's one of the best films of the year so far.
The film centers on Margaret Simon (Abby Ryder Fortson), a sixth-grader who moves to New Jersey from New York with her parents (Rachel McAdams, Benny Safdie). Margaret is not only at a transitional period in life with the move, but on the brink of puberty and all that comes with it. If that wasn't enough, Margaret finds herself on a quest to find God, stuck between the Christian and Jewish faiths...
The transition from girl to woman is obviously the major narrative push, but Margaret's quest to find religion is given equal footing. Margaret wants to feel God in her attempts to find her way, but her trips to various houses of worship only give her more questions. Only in her private conversations with God does she feel him. The film smartly avoids any grand proclamations, but instead asks questions that an intelligent 11-year-old should ask about God and religion.
While the transition to "womanhood" is the driving narrative force, friendship is the crux of that struggle. Margaret's group of friends Nancy (Elle Graham), Janie (Amari Alexis Price), and Gretchen (Katherine Malen Kupferer) all share the same anxieties and desires. The foursome share a secret group complete with boy books for their crushes, a requirement to wear a bra, and an adorably naïve exercise chant to increase their bust size. Margaret's struggles are better realized thanks to the shared experiences of the other girls; Friendship cinema at its best.
For a book as popular as Blume's, you would think the film version would have happened sooner. But 52 years is a small sacrifice to make in order to have Fortson embody the role she was born to play. It might sound like hyperbole, but Fortson gives one of the most complex, emotionally wrought, and layered performances I've ever seen from a juvenile performer. Not only does she deliver in every way, she lives and breathes Margaret inside and out. Her vulnerability, confidence, and emotional intelligence never cross over the line to precocious annoyance and her leading work is the key to the success of the film.
McAdams doesn't seem like the type of performer to already beginning playing moms, but she fits the role like a glove. Barbara isn't a kept 60s housewife, but she isn't the 70s flower child either. She balances the two worlds she is stuck inbetween with apprehensive excitement. Her performance is in no way flashy, but she is successful due to immense emotional availability. Whether it's her willingness to fit in at the PTA, or attempting to reconnect with her estranged parents, McAdams' inherent warmth and wholesome kindness lift her performance into one of her best in her underrated career.
As perfectly cast as Fortson and McAdams are, Kathy Bates steals each scene she appears in as Margaret's grandmother. Despite the backlash to her Oscar nomination for Richard Jewel, Bates proves once again why she is such a dynamic screen actor. Safdie on the other hand, doesn't have a ton to work with in his characterization but his job is to get out of the way and let the ladies take the spotlight. He has a few moments to shine, and he makes the most of it.
Fremon peppers the film with an appropriate amount of 1970s touchstones but never lets the film drown in head-to-toe in 1970s fashions and cultural references. It feels measured and real rather than trapped in "period piece" mode.
I am a man in my 30s with no connection to the literature of Judy Blume and I loved it. How did it manage to transcend its genre? Because it's just that good. The film hits on poignant themes throughout with excellent performances. But more than anything else, it's funny and entertaining. Each joke lands and each emotional moment is well-earned. It also helps that the film doesn't have a villain.
Are You There God? It's Me Margaret. probably wasn't made for a guy like me, but it's too good of a movie for any of that to matter. Sometimes, the quality supersedes the presumed audience limitations of any genre.
Score: A-
Oscar Chances: In a just world, Fortson would be in contention for Lead Actress, but the film would have to be a true phenomenon for that to happen. The chances of a Supporting Actress nomination for McAdams or a Adapted Screenplay nod for Craig would be much more likely if the film is a hit.
Reader Comments (8)
"Despite the backlash to her Oscar nomination for Richard Jewel, Bates proves once again why she is such a dynamic screen actor."
Nice review, but come on—what does the shrieky Film Twitter reaction to Richard Jewell have to do with anything in 2023? FWIW, that movie has a 77% RT score and an “A” CinemaScore, with most reviewers singling Bates out as a selling point. The fact that a certain type of extremely online person took issue with her nomination is not a useful frame for assessing her value as a “dynamic screen actor.”
^^^This.
DK can I marry you,I have more of a problem with Laura Dern winning that year than for Bates maybe taking J.Lo's spot.
Stick to reviewing instead of snarking,was there really a backlash except for a few fans lamenting J.Lo's lack of recognition that year.
Very Good Love it
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I’m glad to hear a really good movie was made from the book that means so much to so many people.
I also like what you’ve said about Rachel McAdams as the mother. I am so tired of Dead Moms, fridged moms, smothering moms, well intending moms that are made figures of ridicule, etc.
I never read the book, since I grew up in a Bible Belt, and refused to waste my own time on any book that had “God” in the title. My feeling then was “stop telling me what to think”.
I eventually got into the film but in addition to the snarky comment there's a preposterous rating. A- for a supposed discerning film lover...stop playing to biases. The direction in the opening 30+min of the film make your rating impossible.
More than sick of reviewers like this
I've seen the Judy Blume documentary. Does it count? Lovely lady, totally unknown for me.
It took a while to get going, but once it did...wow. Great movie with great supporting characters and real heart. Both his wife and 14-year-old daughter thought it was too big. I was thinking that join Mindset Life Coach Certification for more knowledge about movies