Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
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SALT LAKE CITY — As we inch closer to the summer blockbuster movie season, it's easy to overlook smaller movies that fall beneath the radar along the way. It's my job to make sure we don't miss these hidden gems in our race to summer mayhem.
This week we get the movie adaptation of Judy Blume's 53-year-old classic, coming-of-age story, "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret."
Before we get into the review, let me start off by saying I am not, nor have I ever been the target demographic for the book or the movie, so it is with an awkward mix of humility and naïveté I offer you this review. For those who have read the book, you know what you're getting into; for those of you who have not, let me fill you in.
"Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" is the story of 11-year-old Margaret Simon (Abby Ryder Fortson) who is anxiously standing at the doorway of womanhood, waiting for Mother Nature to invite her in. Margaret and her friends theoretically know what to expect from puberty and the changes it promises but the truth is, what makes perfect sense on paper is much more complicated in real life. While the story is centered around the process of maturation, the theme serves as a microcosm to the broader changes associated with transitioning from child to adult and the questions we are all forced to ask as we begin to define who we are to ourselves and to the world around us.
There are a few takeaways from this film I'd like to highlight as you make up your mind about which movie you will be seeing this weekend.
Timeless message
While it may seem like the questions around growing up are bigger and more complicated today than they were 53 years ago, one thing remains true — the need to know, love and accept ourselves as we navigate life's uncharted waters. This film does a great job of illustrating several scenarios where Margaret is faced with the moral, personal and spiritual dilemmas that will begin to shape her life. Some, she handles with grace; others, she does not.
In the end, it leaves us with the sense that it is OK to be human, even if being human gets messy sometimes.
Supporting cast
When I say "supporting cast," I mean this figuratively and literally.
The supporting cast in this story are the orbital characters in Margaret's life, such as her family, friends and acquaintances. These are the people who offer Margaret varying degrees of support and direction as she makes her journey into adulthood. Margaret's relationship with her mother (Rachel McAdams) is especially poignant, as it highlights the give-and-take of the mother/daughter dynamic. They both experience the challenges of learning what to hold onto and what to let go of as their relationship changes.
Another touching and often funny relationship is between Margaret and her grandmother (Kathy Bates). Watching the grandmother/granddaughter relationship helps us see that even though Margaret is changing, and trying to find her place in the world, she has a safe place to still be a child when she didn't want to be that vulnerable with her own mother.
Something for everyone
Although this movie is specifically about preteen girls going through puberty, there were moments in the film with which I believe everyone can relate. I came away from the movie remembering just how confusing that time in life was, and appreciating the fact that we all either have or will go through it at some point.
It's nice to know we are not alone.
Not a perfect work of art
This film is both funny and touching, however, some of the jokes miss the mark or have been lost to time. Judging by the laughs of many women in the theater, I realized a lot of the jokes that went over my head were hitting home to plenty of other people.
While the themes are universal and relatable, I do question if a movie for and about preteen girls — and takes place in 1970 — will have much of a draw for its target audience today. Time will tell.
To wrap it up
Despite me not being the ideal consumer of a movie like "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret," I did appreciate the message and the earnestness with which the film addressed one of the most difficult and confusing times in a person's life.
The bigger picture being, we all either have or will go through many of the same struggles in life; hopefully we remember our experiences are not so different from anyone else's.
"Are you there God? It's me, Margaret" is rated PG-13 for thematic material involving sexual education and some suggestive material.
