Movies: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

I've never read any Judy Blume books, but my understanding is that they were formative for girls growing up in the '70s and '80s. That's why one of Blume's most beloved titles, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, has been granted a rare boon for a mid-budget non-genre flick in 2023 - a theatrical release:

Written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, the film is a classic coming-of-age story about a tween dealing with a host of taxing but ultimately mundane issues: moving from New York City to the New Jersey suburbs, wrestling with religion amidst family strife, and trying to get her first period. The titular character is played by Abby Ryder Fortson (Ant-Man), who does a great job garnering audience sympathy, and she's joined by Rachel MacAdams and Kathy Bates, who play Margaret's mother and grandmother, respectively.

I thought the movie was good, but that the stakes were a little low. The best coming-of-age movies have some sort of extraordinary challenge facing the main character (your Stand By Mes or Sandlots), but in Are You There, God?, Margaret's never in any danger of "losing" even so much as her pride. It's a perfectly fine, well-made movie with some genuine laughs and heart, but this may have been better suited to streaming - sorry, Mr. Scorsese.

Rating: 7/10