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Are You There, God, It’s Me, Margaret. (yes, with the full stop) confused me, initially, as one of the production companies which pop up at the start is Gracie Films, as you’ll see and hear at the very end of The Simpsons, hence why I wasn’t expecting that sound at the beginning.
On a separate note, I know the 2020 version of Emma was Emma. only because Mark Kermode spent half his review banging on about it. I’m not a fan of period dramas. I’d rather have a period… which brings us back to “Margaret“…
Anyhoo, this film starts in 1970 – and feeling a bit like a female version of The Wonder Years, where Margaret Simon (Abby Ryder Fortson – Ant-Man And The Wasp) and parents, Barbara (Rachel McAdams – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness IMAX 3D) and Herb (Benny Safdie – Pieces Of A Woman), are moving from New York to Jersey, leaving granny Sylvia (Kathy Bates – Titanic) behind, definitely irritating her, as she chides back, “I read that when you don’t have any loved ones around, your life expectancy drops drastically. But, you know, I’ve had a good run(!)”
In fact, we have a decent script which director Kelly Fremon Craig has adapted from Judy Blume‘s novel, and it does enough to make each of the disparate characters memorable, and you can’t say that about a lot of films, these days.
After moving, Margaret quickly makes a friend in schoolmate and neighbour Nancy (Elle Graham – She Said), who invites her to be in a secret club, where you’re not allowed to wear socks, and you must get a bra as soon as possible! All the girls in this club fancy cool Philip (Zackary Brooks), while Margaret has a crush on nerdy Moose (Aidan Wojtak-Hissong – I Am Not Okay With This), who mows everyone’s lawns.
Our lead heroine talks to God when she feels like no-one else can help her, such as when she asks in prayer, in one scene, “I’m going to get a bra, and I need something to put in it(!)”
And there’s the important question of who, in the club, will get their period first? (and yes, this IS a PG-rated movie)
Along the way, mum Barbara has to explain why she hasn’t spoken to her parents for quite some time, school nerd Norman Fisher (Simms May) – not from Home & Away – has a party with Spin the Bottle, Laura Danker (Isol Young) is unfeasibly tall for her age, Margaret feels like her parents are ruining her life, Barbara’s forever disappointed in how she gave up her job as an art teacher to raise Margaret – even though she knew it was the right thing for her at the time, and there are songs including Shocking Blue’s Venus and Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit in the Sky.
Additionally, they have a dining table with a mid-section that can be removed, like we once had when I was a kid, and it collapsed and I fell through, with both sides jutting up like the Titanic, sliding into me and trapping me in. It hurt like hell!!! I was about 5, and I can still remember it!
Are You There, God, It’s Me, Margaret. is in cinemas now, but it’s not yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD.
You can also buy the Paperback book, Hardback and Kindle.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 106 minutes
Release date: May 19th 2023
Studio: Lionsgate
Format: 1.85:1 (X-OCN XT 6K)
Cinema: Cineworld Didsbury
Rating: 7/10
Director: Kelly Fremon Craig
Producers: Julie Ansell, Judy Blume, Amy Brooks, James L Brooks, Kelly Fremon Craig, Aldric La’auli Porter,
Richard Sakai
Screenplay: Kelly Fremon Craig
Novel: Judy Blume
Music: Hans Zimmer
Cast:
Margaret Simon: Abby Ryder Fortson
Barbara Simon: Rachel McAdams
Sylvia Simon: Kathy Bates
Herb Simon: Benny Safdie
Nancy Wheeler: Elle Graham
Janie Loomis: Amari Price
Gretchen Potter: Katherine Kupferer
Mrs. Jan Wheeler: Kate MacCluggage
Moose Freed: Aidan Wojtak-Hissong
Evan Wheeler: Landon Baxter
Mamma Bunny: Mackenzie Joy Potter
Witch: Olivia Frances Williams
Guy in Car: Michael Platarote
Mr. Benedict: Echo Kellum
Norman Fisher: Simms May
Philip Leroy: Zackary Brooks
Freddy Barnett: JeCobi Swain
Laura Danker: Isol Young
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.