Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

              My pre-teen and teenage years seem so long ago, but I do remember them well and I can tell you they were pretty lame. I feel like though that is most boys at that age, that when we are not breaking something, life was pretty boring. Now girls on the other hand seem like they were going through all kinds of things, but this was just because I read Judy Blume’s classic story Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, and with a book that good, it has to be true right?

Now straight from the millions of nightstands in rooms all around the world comes the first big screen adaption of this literary classic. For those new to the club and are seeing/hearing this story for the first time, welcome, not just sit back and enjoy.

Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson) has just found out her life is about to take a huge turn. You see she is twelve-years old and her life is about to be uprooted as her mom, Barbara (Rachel McAdams) and her father Herb (Benny Safdie) are leaving the big city and heading to New Jersey. Lucky for Margaret it doesn’t take long for her to meet a friend in Nancy (Elle Graham) who promises to let her join her club with two other girls. It is on the first day of school she meets Gretchen (Katherine Mallen Kupferer) and Janie (Amari Alexis Price) and the four of them decide they are going to share the process of becoming a woman. This includes the best of times and the worst of times and of course also the discovery of boys. That though is not the only thing that Margaret is trying to find, she is also going through other life dilemmas, in which all together just seems like an almost perfect coming-of-age story.

Written by and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, who already guided us with The Edge of Seventeen, delivers the perfect book end for that movie. Turing a classic book into a screen story can always be tough, but Craig delivers a heartfelt and engaging adaptation that will bring a smile to your face. For fans of the book, the magic of the novel is still there, as Craig keeps it set in the 70’s while presenting the big life moments in a way many can relate to. This I hope will put to ease any worries on turning this into a movie, but if what I said didn’t convince you, Judy Blume has given it her blessing.

Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret is a wonderful and memorable film that will resonate with people of all ages. Although Craig delivers, it is her adaption and the performance of the cast that makes it all come together. Fortson delivers a layered performance that does justice for the beloved character, while also solidifying her spot as someone to watch. The other stand out is McAdams, who just brings a light to her performance and is perfect as Margaret’s mother.  Craig is now two for two and like her first film has delivered a sort of road map for girls of a certain age. For everyone else not that, you will still love what will simply be one of the better coming of age movies you will see all year.