Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret review

ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET: 

ABBY RYDER FORTSON SHINES IN INCREDIBLY CHARMING COMING-OF-AGE STORY! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

LIONSGATE

Abby Ryder Fortson in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

 

            A young girl goes on an unforgettable adventure through womanhood in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, the highly anticipated coming-of-age film based on Judy Blume’s novel of the same name brought to the screen by director Kelly Fremon Craig (The Edge of Seventeen) and producer James L. Brooks (The Simpsons, The Critic, As Good as It Gets). I should probably make this clear before we start, I’ve never ready the book before and I didn’t even know much about it outside of it being discussed during the Noovie segment in movie theaters and finally looking up the trailer on the day I went to see it. 

            So, I won’t be able to determine how faithful this film adaptation is to the source material and will instead be judging it as a standalone movie. And I have to say, for a movie I came into relatively blind, I found Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret to be very charming. 

            I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this film, it’s an incredibly funny, touching, and intelligently-crafted story about puberty and religious identity. If this counts as a religious movie, then it’s a religious movie done correctly. 

            The film follows Margaret Simon (Abby Ryder Fortson-Ant-Man 1 and 2, Togetherness, A Dog’s Journey), a sixth grader moving with her parents, Barbara (Rachel McAdams-Mean Girls, Sherlock Holmes, Spotlight) and Herb (Benny Safdie-Good Time, Uncut Gems, Licorice Pizza) from New York City to the suburbs of New Jersey. Since one of her parents is Christian while the other is Jewish, Margaret goes on her own personal journey to discover her true religious identity while also going through other misadventures of young girls such as fitting in at school, meeting boys, bras, and most importantly, periods. 

            The film also stars Kathy Bates (Misery, About Schmidt, Richard Jewell) as Margaret’s grandmother, Sylvia and Echo Kellum (Arrow, Elena of Avalor, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken) as Margaret’s teacher, Mr. Benedict. 

            Overall, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is one of the most delightful and boldest films I’ve seen all year. Despite being a mostly wholesome family comedy-drama (Though it is rated PG-13), the film dives into some very topical subject matter like religion and female sexuality which I feel most mainstream films would probably stay as far away from as possible. 

            But through smart writing and stellar performances from the cast, these relevant themes are explored in mature and thought-provoking ways. This film does not talk down to its audience and presents its themes genuinely and realistically because when you really get down to it, it’s a story about a child growing up and figuring out where the person belongs which anyone regardless of gender or age can relate to. 

            You can tell the filmmakers were being very sincere and really cared about what they were bringing to the screen. Unlike the majority of Pure Flix and Kendrick Brothers garbage, this film has an engaging, slice of life story with relatable characters that feel real, and it presents its religious and topical themes with actual thought behind them. 

            I never felt brainwashed while watching it nor did it seem like the film was trying to convert people to a specific religion. It’s just a simple coming-of-age story about a girl becoming a woman and the misadventures she has along the way that happens to have religious subject matter which is a lot more powerful and inspiring than any bullsh*t you’ll see in a Pure Flix movie. 

            All the acting is excellent especially from Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret, I’ve already enjoyed her as Cassie Lang from the first two Ant-Man films, but this movie really showcases her capabilities as an actress. She is so endearing as the character, has outstanding chemistry with just about every other cast member in the film, and sells both comedic and heartfelt moments very effectively, she’s really come a long way since being Paul Rudd’s “Peanut”. 

            I also found myself getting invested in Rachel McAdams as Margaret’s mother quite a bit as well. Her chemistry with Fortson is very genuine and quite sweet, I love how she has her own mini subplots where she’s part of a neighborhood committee that’s being led by the snooty mom of one of Margaret’s friends or just trying to paint a bird outside her living room window, and once in a while deliver a witty line, one of my favorites being near the end. 

            And yes, the film can be quite funny at times, and I did find myself laughing numerous times during it. The scene where a group of middle schoolers are reacting to a presentation on female genitalia got some chuckles out of me, Kathy Bates as Margaret’s grandmother delivered some of the funniest lines in the film to me, and I thought the moments where Margaret and her friends were thrusting their bodies and chanting “We must increase our busts!” were both humorous and adorable at the same time.

            Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve had all year, and this is coming from a 29 going on 30-year-old man who has never read Judy Blume’s novel before in his life. It’s a perfect example of a female empowerment movie that doesn’t skimp out on good storytelling or compelling characters as well as a mature and effective resource for parents to teach their daughters about womanhood and going through puberty that’s both thought-provoking and entertaining.