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Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (PG)
Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig
IT IS more than 50 years since Judy Blume’s groundbreaking book opened young girls’ eyes for the first time to the realities of puberty, periods, bras and religion.
It has taken this long for the trailblazing novel, which was banned in the 1980s in the US, to reach the big screen in this delightful, humorous and faithful adaptation by writer-director Kelly Fremon Craig (The Edge of Seventeen).
The film follows the 11-year-old-going-on-12 Margaret (a captivating Abby Ryder Fortson) as she navigates her new life in New Jersey having been forced to move there by her parents (Rachel McAdams and Benny Safdie), from New York and from the side of her adoring Jewish grandmother Silvia (a joyous Kathy Bates).
Margaret is befriended by her neighbour and fellow classmate Nancy (Elle Graham) and her friends and joins their secret club where they discuss boys, menstruation and do chest exercises chanting “I must, I must, I must increase my bust” in order to fill out their training bras.
This is the plea that Margaret makes to God, though she doesn't believe in him, during her nightly prayers, along with not being the last one to get her period.
She also embarks on a quest to investigate religion. While her mother is Christian and her father is Jewish she has been raised with no faith and they have left it up to her to decide what denomination, if any, she wants to follow. So Margaret explores a Catholic church and attends Jewish (to Silvia’s delight), Protestant and Baptist services.
Her findings are crystallised following a heated showdown between Silvia and her maternal grandparents, who disowned their only daughter for marrying a Jew, as both sides claim Margaret for their own. It is the only scene which departs from the source material.
Set in 1970 with a very nostalgic feel and look about it, the film does great justice to Blume’s work in this frank and candid coming-of-age tale which deals head on with the messiness of puberty and the taboos surrounding it. It still seems fresh and relevant today and is anchored by powerhouse performances from its superlative cast.
Out in cinemas today
