Watched: May 8, 2023
Today I watched Are You There God? It's Me Margaret. the film adaptation of the classic Judy Blume novel. This film is directed by Kelly Fremon Craig and she absolutely knocks it out of the park again. This is also the person who directed, The Edge of Seventeen, another great movie if you have not seen it. If you are not familiar with the story, this is a coming-of-age story where Margaret moves to the suburbs and has to tackle the challenges of moving and growing up as a preteen girl. This delightful coming-of-age story doesn't have a super complex story but tells it in a way that is relatable and enjoyable for the audience.
First, I would like to start off by saying that I have never read the Judy Blume novel that this film is based off of. But that did not stop me from thoroughly enjoying this movie. One of the things that I most enjoyed about this film is how genuine the whole story is. Margaret is just a normal preteen girl who is just trying to navigate the world around her. She has to find new friends, explore a new town, and deal with all the hormones and feelings that come with being a preteen. Even though I could not personally relate to everything that happens in adolescence as a woman, I could still relate to the awkwardness of being a preteen. One of the reasons that this film works so well is because of the incredible performances of the cast. Abby Ryder Fortson, plays Margaret in this film and she really does a great job. Everything she does is so genuine and she acts just like a normal preteen. She conveys Margaret's struggles, questions, and emotions so well. I would also like to take the time to shout-out some of the other child actors, Elle Graham and Amari Alexis Price as well as many others, that just made the film so relatable. Even though Abby Ryder Fortson does a phenomenal job, the standout in my opinion is Rachel McAdams. This is possibly the best performance we have seen from her and she does a great job of playing the role of Margaret's mother. Rachel McAdams character is struggling as well as she adjusts into a new life in the suburbs. Rachel McAdams delivers some powerful lines in this film, and she really delivers them with such emotion and conviction. I was really moved by her performance. Also, Benny Safdie’s, who plays Margaret’s father, has really good chemistry with Rachel McAdams and you can really tell they work well together.
The next thing, I would like to talk about is the religion aspect that this film brings. It was actually something that I had no idea would be in the movie but I believe was really compelling. It is important to know that Margaret’s mother is Christian and Margaret’s father is Jewish. In the film this topic is really difficult for Margaret as she continues to navigate her preteen years. Throughout the film, you explore her thoughts on religion and her struggles with choosing, “what is the preferred religion?”. This topic is something that is highly sensitive within the family and is a conversation that is brought up often as Margaret explores her religious life. I won’t go into spoilers but I believe that where she ends up at the end of the day concerning religion was satisfying and worked well. This film also really explores a lot of topics that are just not talked about often, or considered taboo by modern societies. Topics such as periods, which this film is open about really serves the same function that the book did. Which was to help younger girls feel less alone in the struggles of female adolescence. This film accomplishes that same goal and even dives deeper into certain topics which makes for a very compelling story.
Overall, this film was really a heartwarming, delightful coming-of-age story. The cast and in-depth story really make the film an enjoyable watch. Like I said earlier in the review this film just feels so real. There is so much relatability to all of these situations for almost any viewer and I believe that is what makes it so special. I highly encourage you all to check this movie out!
Review: 4/5 Stars
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