Judy Blume is synonymous with coming-of-age fiction. And while the author boasts numerous titles that have been passed down from generation to generation, few are as well-known as Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. The 1970 novel tells the story of sixth-grader Margaret, whose mom is Christian and father is Jewish. Their family has recently moved, and she talks to God while trying to come to terms with her changing life and body. The reviews are here to give us an idea of how the classic book translated to the big screen ahead of its April 28 premiere.
Abby Ryder Fortson (from Ant-Man, the HBO series Togetherness and more) stars as Margaret Simon, with Rachel McAdams and Benny Safdie playing her parents. Kathy Bates also appears as her grandmother in a story that writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig chose to keep in 1970s, rather than update it for the 2023 crowd. In CinemaBlend’s review of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Sarah El-Mahmoud says she thinks this is a good decision, and she rates the movie 3.5 stars out of 5, praising its support for growing girls:
What this release achieves as a movie is what Judy Blume has been for decades. Yes, it’s somewhat of a basic family story about going through life as a sixth grader and is very much meant to be approachable and universal to the common and natural woes and exciting moments of coming up as a woman. If only for the purpose of supporting young girls or today’s women, who are often made to feel weird for simply having functioning systems in their bodies, we have a new comfort coming-of-age movie adaptation in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Amy Nicholson of Variety says there’s plenty to like in this book-to-screen adaptation, but the movie seems uncomfortable with the idea of allowing Margaret to be a flawed character, as Judy Blume’s iteration (and every pre-teen) is. The critic continues:
Today, it’s not enough to be representative: Margaret must be a role model, too. (Even an accusation that she plagiarizes her homework from the encyclopedia gets gently buffed.) The result is a nostalgia hit with saccharine artificiality. While that might disappoint Blume fans, young audiences may not miss the original novel’s more honest truths, especially as they’ve been trained to expect tidy stories where protagonists fix their faults and here even (gah!) assure the adults in the film that they’re raising them just fine.
Marya E. Gates of RogerEbert.com rates the movie 3.5 out of 4 stars, praising Rachel McAdams (who recently rocked a new look at a photo shoot) as Barbara Simon. The critic says the mother’s expanded role in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret takes the story beyond just a coming-of-age tale. It’s some of McAdams’ best work, and Kelly Fremon Craig proves capable of handling such iconic material. From the review:
Craig’s spin on Blume’s classic is just as exhilarating as her debut film The Edge of Seventeen. Her deep respect for the foibles of girldom and her emotionally intelligent exploration of prickly family dynamics make her a perfect match for the material, and elevates Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret far above most modern films that attempt to tackle similar material.
Kristen Lopez of The Wrap finds the film a fantastic addition to the too-limited genre of movies for tween girls and their families. The critic calls the adaptation heartfelt, compassionate, funny, and frank, saying:
Director Kelly Fremon Craig is no stranger to young women in a state of transition, having helmed the equally wonderful Edge of Seventeen in 2016. Her take on Are You There God is filled with heart and isn’t afraid to talk about all the topics that made Blume’s novel so controversial. At times, the feature is jarring in how overt it discusses periods, bras, and tween girls’ desire to grow up too fast. Concurrently, it’s such a sweet, simple slice of life movie that wears its nostalgic heart on its sleeve.
Josh Spiegel of SlashFilm rates Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret an impressive 9.5 out of 10, as he implores audiences to give this story the attention and support it deserves. This movie is worth discussing for the rest of the year and beyond, the critic says, calling it an “oasis” in a world of IP money grabs:
Though this adaptation of the beloved Judy Blume novel cannot claim to be wholly original, itself a take on one of the most well-known YA novels ever published, it represents a remarkable and welcome balm from the current state of the modern movie. Here is a film that, like its source material, treats its characters with care and tenderness, establishing an instant and unbreakable bond with the audience that hits home in scene after scene. Coming from Kelly Fremon Craig, the writer/director of the smart and spiky teen dramedy The Edge of Seventeen, it's little surprise that Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret is so calmly brilliant, so intelligent, and patient, and knowing. This is the first great film of the new year.
One can’t argue with the popularity of Judy Blume’s novel, but will that translate to box-office success for Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret? We’ll see what happens next weekend, as the movie is set for theatrical release on Friday, April 28. You can also check out these other coming-of-age movies, and also be sure to glance at our 2023 Movie Release Schedule in order to start planning your next movie night out.
