It’s finally here! Judy Blume has been famously clear for years that she didn’t want to adapt Margaret because how beloved and important that book is to a majority of women who grew up in the United States. But Blume’s instincts are usually spot on, and Kelly Fremon Craig was the right director to bring Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret to the big screen. Much like the wonderful book, I hope every parent of an 11 year old girl takes them to see this movie: a funny, sweet, refreshingly daring and honest look at growing up through the eyes of girls on the precipice of becoming women.
For the boys and anyone not exposed to this trailblazing 1970 novel, Margaret Simon (Abby Ryder Fortson) has lived all of her 11 years of life in New York City with her wonderful parents Barbara (Rachel McAdams) and Herb (Benny Safdie) and her grandma (Herb’s mom Sylvia, played by Kathy Bates). Coming home from summer camp, Margaret finds out her dad got a new job, and she’s off to the suburbs of New Jersey. Immediately after moving in, Margaret’s befriended by her neighbor and fellow 11 year old Nancy Wheeler (Elle Graham), who gives Margaret the low down of the neighborhood and what Margaret can expect as she starts a new schoolyear of change and complications.
Even for 2022, it’s darn impressive to see how bold Judy Blume’s story is. The book is so beloved because it finds this incredible mixture of tackling complex subjects as part of everyday life while aways filtering those conversations though the eyes of an 11 year old girl. Craig’s adaptation is pretty faithful to Blume’s vision. In 1970, girls talking about their periods and bras alongside boys, school, and general gossip was a pretty radical concept to the male dominated culture at large; I wish in 2022 it were more acceptable, but it’s still pretty taboo to hear girls go into detail about first period, and have it NOT be about school. That tabooness is part of Are You There God?’s charm, as Nancy, Margaret and the girls assemble the various rumors they heard about each of these topics because they cannot discuss them with mom & dad for fear of painful awkwardness. That leads to the book and movie’s bread & butter: each of the girls bringing what they know to the table and talking it out, which leads to either something truly hysterical (how to practice kissing) or something raw and profound (how to handle a public menstruation). Craig balances both types of conversations extremely well, really making you feel like this is just Tuesday’s or Thursday’s conversation, and the next one will be about something else.
But as headline grabbing as the period conversations are, Are You There God? goes way deeper and more profound than that. You know what else 11 year old girls think about? Loneliness, bullying, and even personal identity. I would argue Blume’s book is more than anything about Margaret’s study of how religion affects who she is. Barbara is Christian, Herb is Jewish, and Margaret isn’t either, as her parents would let her decide as she grows up. Much of the movie sees Margaret trying different religions out, going in with that beautiful open heart to see where she might fit in. Much of the movie’s emotional power comes from this search. I don’t think Rachel McAdams has ever been better than when she has to explain to Margaret without becoming overwhelmed why Barbara’s parents have never visited their granddaughter. Margaret reacts as any 11 year old would, to try to search for some answers through prayer and more experiences. Throughout the movie, the more she learns, she always responds as an 11 year old, going through the roller coaster of emotions as 11 year olds do, moving on, and maybe learning more later if they feel like it. Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Benny Safdie, and Kathy Bates all bring their A games, making sure all of Blume’s magical writing gets a perfect translation to a new medium so other girls like Margaret can be helped in their own growth into adulthood.
If you can’t tell I was pretty excited Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret was going to be adapted into a movie. I was also very scared, because I know how much this book means to so many people. And for those people and myself, Kelly Fremon Craig was an answer to prayer. She nailed it, confirming that Judy Blume will help yet another generation of kids growing up in a new way, making everything a little scary just a little easier. We must! We must! We must in Judy entrust!