Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. – Review
106 Minutes, Rated PG-13
Written by Kelly Fremon Craig and Judy Blume
Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig
**NOTE: this post will be updated with audio once we actually have the chance to talk about it. Until then, you can read Mark’s review below. Remember, though, you can listen to all our discussions of this and every other movie directly over on ACAST. Stay tuned.**
Synopsis:
When her family moves from the city to the suburbs, 11-year-old Margaret navigates new friends, feelings, and the beginning of adolescence.
The novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. was published in 1970. I was born in 1970.
Coincidence?
Of course it is, but now you’re reading, so let’s continue.
As I was going through my upper-elementary/lower middle school years, I heard this title bandied about in hushed tones by the all-too-mysterious-yet-strangely-compelling girls in my class.
Little did I know.
As I got older, I learned what the book was about, generally speaking, so when the movie was announced, I figured there was no way on God’s green Earth I was going to want to see it, much less enjoy it.
What an idiot I am.
Look, clearly a really old guy isn’t the target audience for this movie. Clearly.
But guess what? It’s not so clear.
Per my early reaction quote:
“Full review to come, but @margaretmovie is going to surprise a lot of people & make a lot of folks “of a certain age” cry. It’s simple, well-done, with #AbbyRyderFortson giving a nuanced performance as Margaret w/#RachelMcAdams & #KathyBates 100% killing it. “
Full review to come, but @margaretmovie is going to surprise a lot of people & make a lot of folks “of a certain age” cry. It’s simple, well-done, with #AbbyRyderFortson giving a nuanced performance as Margaret w/#RachelMcAdams & #KathyBates 100% killing it. @Lionsgate 👍
— VSMP (@VSMoviePodcast) April 26, 2023
(Which I was shocked to see found a place in a twitter ad for the film, btw.)
I stand by this initial reaction. I exchanged messages with a high school friend of mine who was desperately looking forward to this movie and to taking her daughter. This movie is going to hit with its intended audience 100%.
But it’s also going to hit with anyone who enjoys good, solid film making and great performances. Abby Ryder Fortson is now a legitimate actress to watch going forward, moving past feeding giant ants under tables. At times petulant, happy, despondent, and yes, aroused (or at least as aroused as an 11-year-old girl can get in a PG-13 movie), she moves deftly through her character’s life as easily as Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates (playing mom and grandmother, respectively) do theirs.
And they are, as noted above, killing it.
But AYTGIMM isn’t just about a girl trying to figure out the twists and turns of puberty and the anticipated enlightenment that is “the period,” it’s also an examination of faith, as she struggles to decide what–if anything–she believes, coming from a mixed-religion home.
The fact she learns that just because someone believes in God doesn’t make them a person worth knowing or being like is a good thing is a beautiful, heartbreaking scene.
A timeless coming-of-age tale beloved by generations of women now has movie that can, yes, appeal to a broader audience, even if there are some squirm-worthy moments of reflection to your (or my) youth.
This was a delightful surprise to find and reminded me why I try NOT to prejudge films going in, and why I should be more diligent in doing so moving forward.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. is currently playing exclusively in theaters and stars Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Benny Safdie, Elle Graham, Amari Alexis Price, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Kate MacCluggage, Aidan Wotjak-Hissong, Landon S. Baxter, and Isol Young.
And remember, if the BEST thing you can say about a movie is that it’s “visually stunning,” then they’ve done something wrong.
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