Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

Judy Blume’s YA novel called Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret is of one of the most challenged and banned books in America.

Ever since its publication in 1970, incensed parents, clueless politicians, and bureaucratic administrators have been trying to get it removed from reading lists due to its frank examination of puberty and menstruation. Not violence or social toxicity, mind you. Rather, puberty and menstruation! It didn’t help that the book also depicted a young girl who is given freedom to decide for herself what religion she would like to practice. The horror!

"a heaven-sent treat that challenges us to think and wonder why it took us so long to become comfortable with taking on such important source material"


Finally, after 53 years, Blume’s iconic novel gets the big screen adaptation it deserves. Written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig (The Edge of Seventeen), Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret is a wonderfully nostalgic coming-of-age story that follows a young girl named Margaret Simon, played by Abby Ryder Fortson (Ant-Man and the Wasp), who is navigating the myriad challenges of growing up.

As the film opens, we join Margaret and her family as they are moving to New Jersey from the City, where she must start sixth grade at a new school. Every pre-teen’s nightmare, right?

Her parents Barbara and Herb (Rachel McAdams and Bennie Safde) have differing religious beliefs, with her father being Jewish and her mother a Christian. Throughout the film, we watch Margaret, who has not been raised in any particular religion, grapple with her own spiritual identity, often turning to a higher power for guidance.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret touches upon the heavy themes of religion, puberty, and friendship, as it explores the complexities of adolescence in a very engaging and relatable way. Margaret’s journey is one of self-discovery, and as she muddles her way through the changes and challenges of puberty, she is met with a series of obstacles that threaten to shake her sense of self.

The film’s standout performance – among many – comes from Fortson, who was incidentally named one of Hollywood Reporter’s “Top 30 Stars Under 18.” Her Margaret is authentic, vulnerable, and perfectly awkward as she captures the essence of what it means to be a young girl on the cusp of adulthood. We empathize with her as she confronts, head on, the struggles of growing up.

Rachel McAdams holds her own in a compelling performance as Margaret’s mother, Barbara. McAdams’ portrayal of a mother searching for her own identity and trying to raise her daughter to have a sense of self is genuine and heartfelt. Her scenes with Fortson are some of the film's most emotional and poignant moments, as they showcase the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship.Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

Craig does a remarkable job of addressing sensitive topics like puberty, menstruation, and religion in a manner that is informative, empathetic, and even laugh-out-loud funny at times. In one scene, Margaret and her friends discuss their first periods, with each girl sharing their own experiences. The scene is handled with the utmost sensitivity and respect, while also successfully normalizing a topic that is often considered taboo.

Another notable aspect of the film is Craig’s attention to detail. Her setting and costumes capture the essence of the period, taking us back to late ‘60s New York suburbia. In addition, Hans Zimmer’s score provides the film’s heartbeat, while the perfectly curated soundtrack, which includes George Harrison’s “What is Life” adds to the film's nostalgic feel.

However, despite the film's strong performances and attention to detail, it occasionally suffers from some awkward pacing and a meandering plot, with some scenes lacking purpose or resolution. In addition, the film’s ending, while certainly satisfying, feels abrupt, with some loose ends left dangling.

Those are small gripes though, as Are you there God? It’s Me, Margaret is an honest and authentic portrayal of the struggles of adolescence; a heaven-sent treat that challenges us to think and wonder why it took us so long to become comfortable with taking on such important source material.

4/5 stars

 

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

Blu-ray Details

Home Video Distributor: Lionsgate FIlms
Available on Blu-ray
- July 11, 2023
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles
: English SDH, French, Spanish
Audio:
English: Dolby Atmos; English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1; French: Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; two-disc set; DVD
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Lionsgate brings Margaret's awkward moments to sparkling 1080p with the release of g with a fantastic little blu-ray + DVD + Digital release that comes in a blue eco-case housed inside a cardboard slipcover with identical artwork.

Inside are a DVD, a blu-ray disc, and a digital redemption coupon.

Video

There's a wonderfully warm aesthetic glow to this film and fortunately, Lionsgate does that sentiment justice with a beautiful 1080p 1.85:1 transfer that feels as comfortable as an old pair of slippers.

The period look and feel of the film carries over nicely, revealing the fine details of costumes, set decorations, character make-up, and the like, while still setting itself perfectly smack-dab in the '70s.

Audio

We get a rather subtle, yet expertly-handled Dolby Atmos and Dolby TrueHD 7.1 tracks for English language speakers. Also included are French and Spanish language Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks.

The Dolby Atmos track, though perfectly handled is a rather laid back affair with the film's soundtrack getting most of the action. Dialogue, though mostly front centered, occasionally works the room with effects while incidental sounds also appropriately placed around the room.

Supplements:

We get a full slate of bonus material which is actually quite a pleasant surprise with an EPK making-of piece which looks at the film's production design – which is actually a main star of the film, a cast and crew look, some deleted scenes and a roundtable discussion with the film's main principals.

But the star of the bonus material is the sit down interview with Judy Blume who wrote the novel upon which the film is based.

Commentary:

  • None

Special Features:

  • Finally That Time: Making Margaret
  • Are You There Margaret? It's Me, Judy
  • The Secret Crew Club: Margaret and Friends
  • Bringing the Period to Life: Designing Margaret
  • Deleted Scenes 
  • Roundtable Discussion

Blu-ray Rating

  Movie 4/5 stars
  Video  4/5 stars
  Audio 4/5 stars
  Extras 4/5 stars

Composite Blu-ray Grade

4/5 stars

Film Details

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic material involving sexual education and some suggestive material.
Runtime:
105 mins
Director
: Kelly Fremon Craig
Writer:
Kelly Fremon Craig
Cast:
Abby Ryder Fortson; Rachel McAdams; Kathy Bates
Genre
: Comedy | Romance
Tagline:

Memorable Movie Quote: "We must, we must, we must increase our bust!"
Theatrical Distributor:
Lionsgate
Official Site:
Release Date:
April 28, 2023
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
July 11, 2023
Synopsis: When her family moves from the city to the suburbs, 11-year-old Margaret navigates new friends, feelings, and the beginning of adolescence.

Art

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret