Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig
Written by Kelly Fremon Craig and Judy Blume
Starring Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Benny Safdie, Elle Graham
Rated PG-13
Runtime: 1 hour 46 minutes
Currently in theaters

by Audrey Callerstrom, Associate Editor

Before I go into my review of the long-awaited adaptation of the Judy Blume novel, allow me to marvel at how Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret even got made. Amid the (post?)-pandemic landscape, themes like religion, puberty, sexuality, periods, and second-wave feminism don’t exactly spell blockbuster. Take a look at the listings at your local theater to see what films did make it through, and none will surprise you. Franchise films, horror films, and films for children have made it through the cracks, but little else. Even before the pandemic, I would be surprised this film got made. It feels like it would be more at home in the early 90s with coming-of-age films like My Girl and Man In the Moon.

However this film came to be, I’m grateful for it. It’s sweet, well shot, well-acted and superbly cast. The source material needed to be in the hands of someone with genuine care and affection for the source material, which Kelly Fremon Craig (Edge of Seventeen) clearly has. The film follows the titular Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson) during the formative years of puberty and change during sixth grade. Not only is Margaret forced to move out of her comfortable New York City habitat to suburban New Jersey, but she’s suddenly confronted with feelings, body changes (or lack thereof), and curiosity about sex. An only child, Margaret has a lot of time alone, and she uses that time to confide in God. In addition, Margaret’s progressive parents (Rachel McAdams and Benny Safdie), who come from Christian and Jewish upbringings respectively, have allowed Margaret the ability to choose a religion for herself. But what fits?

Abby Ryder Fortson looks 12, moves like she’s 12, and carries her body like she’s 12. She looks uncertain, her shoulders pulled forward. Similarly, the crew of friends she makes when she moves to the new town all look about 12. There are small moments in this film that feel big. You feel disappointment, or hurt, or confusion at any given moment, because the cast is so exceptional. Rachel McAdams, as Margaret’s artist mom, abandons her job in favor of the homemaker life. But you feel her hesitation, even though she never says anything otherwise. This film reminded me of Richard Linklater’s Boyhood in how it finds power in small moments. You feel the hurt Margaret feels when a friend lies about getting her period just like how you feel in Boyhood when Mason’s father (Ethan Hawke) tells him he got rid of the car that was supposed to go to Mason.

The rest of the cast delights, including Kathy Bates in a supporting role as Margaret’s grandmother, and Echo Kellum as Margaret’s teacher. Benny Safdie as Margaret’s father seems an odd casting choice, and the only thing we know about him is that he’s Jewish, but it’s such a minor criticism of a film that treats its subject matter with such care. When I think back to the same years, my memories are clouded, as I’m sure are yours. Are You There God?... reminded me of how there is a simple beauty in watching someone for whom the world feels new. New people, new ideas, new curiosities, new sensations. Do I believe in God? Or anything? It took me back to the time my mom took me to Sears for my first bra, or when I got my period after a day of being too tired to rollerblade at the Metrodome Stadium in Minneapolis. Those moments feel huge and life altering, even if some people (the patriarchy, yadda yadda) might try to minimize them. 

Ultimately I don’t know how this film finally got made after 53 years. Once a book is optioned, it could never make it to the screen. It just floats around as an idea, a ponderance, and then it disappears. But this is the rare example of a film that is just as good as the book. It’s so careful, so heartfelt, so truthful. As I left, I saw a group of teen girls giggling and talking about the “we must, we must, we must increase our bust!” scene. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is a sweet and funny film about a time in our lives when we feel the least seen.