#23: ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET

 

Starring Abby Ryder Forston, Elle Graham, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Benny Safdie, Echo Kellum. Written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, adapted from a book by Judy Blume. Budget $30 million. Running time 106 minutes.

It's 1970 New York City and when 12 year-old Margaret Simon(Abby Ryder Forston), moves away from her beloved home and Jewish grandmother, Sylvia (Kathy Bates) with her mum, ex-Christian Barbara (Rachel McAdams) and lapsed Jewish father, Herb (Benny Safdei) she thinks her world has ended. However five minutes in her new home in New Jersey and Margaret already has a new best friend, Nancy (Ellie Grahma) and a new teacher Mr. Benedict (Echo Kellum). 

Her new bestie, an insanely precocious Nancy is obsessed with four things. Periods, boobs, boys, and socks and wastes no time initiating Margaret into her secret club along with fellow pre-teens Gretchen (Katherine Kupferer) and Janie Lomis (Amari Alexis). Together the four friends come to terms with all of the above, and their first willy, in this charming, gentle, sweet and very funny comedy about coming of age. Although beneath the literally life-changing tribulations of a young girl's struggle with puberty is an interesting examination of religion and whether it has any place in her life. And this ultimately provides the most interesting aspect of the film. Initially I was mortified when Old Jeff, as i called him, reared his huge bearded omni-present head fearing the film was about to become descend into some hideous god affirming movie, but was delighted to discover that just as Margaret struggles with impending puberty she's also struggling to decide whether religion should play a part in her life, especially after her new teacher, Mr. Benedict asks her to write a term paper on her lack of religion. Being that she's from a Jewish/Christian background and her friends are either Baptist or Catholic she gets to experience them all in search of the question, 'Are you there God?'.

Lovely performances all round and featuring no car crashes, robots, aliens, superheroes or gun battles. The sort of film that puts warmth into your heart, a spring in your step, and a smile on your face. And with a totally excellent soundtrack of classic 1970s pre-disco music to accompany it all.

Thoroughly enjoyable and now all together: 'WE MUST, WE MUST. WE MUST IMPROVE OUR BUST!'

8/10