Smith’s Verdict: ***1/2
Reviewed by Tanner Smith
I don’t know why it took so long for a film based Judy Blume’s great, challenging novel “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” to come about, but the film we got more than 50 years after the book’s publication is very much a perfect adaptation. It’s heartfelt, hilarious, inspiring, authentic, and relatable.
I was looking forward to this because it was written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, who made The Edge of Seventeen, another great film about young people. I knew she’d be able to portray both the comedy and trauma of coming of age in film just as Blume did in the novel. (She also made the perfect choice of keeping the original story’s 1970 setting instead of modernizing it.)
The film is very funny (I laughed out loud at least 3 times, I kid you not–in particular, one scene set at a pharmacy had the whole theater in stitches), but it doesn’t back down from its serious moments. Both the comedy and the drama feel like they belong in the same film–that’s not easy to do, and this film does it flawlessly.
Everyone in this cast is superb. Abby Ryder Forston gives a natural and lovable performance as our 11-year-old heroine Margaret Simon, who’s in such a hurry to grow up that she’s in danger of missing out on special moments. (She’s aided by other child actors who are also very natural and winning.) And the adult actors don’t half-ass it at all–Kathy Bates is great as Margaret’s grandmother; Rachel McAdams & Benny Safdie are wonderful as Margaret’s parents; and I would’ve liked to see more of Echo Kellum as Margaret’s 6th-grade teacher who encourages her to explore religion. (Part of Margaret’s journey in this story is her exploring Judaism and Christianity, as her mother is Christian and her father is Jewish but neither one is religious and they let her choose her own path when she’s older.)
There’s a subplot that I don’t think was in the book about Margaret’s maternal grandparents–I won’t give away what happens, but even that worked so well in this film because it helps add to Margaret’s big ball of confusion and thus aided in her resolution at the end.
I get the feeling this film adaptation of “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” will be just as relevant as its source material to audiences of all ages, and I highly recommend it.
Smith's Verdict 
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