Judy Blume’s classic novel, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, has finally received a film adaptation after the author’s long resistance. Blume, who reimagined children and young adult fiction in her five-decade career, was worried about mishandling the story that has been loved across three generations of readers. However, after a meeting with director Kelly Fremon Craig and veteran producer James L. Brooks, Blume agreed to a vision worth greenlighting. The film, featuring Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret Simon, charms and remains true to its timeless source material. With a classic story of girlhood, puberty, and religious belonging, it takes pleasure in the 1970s era with warm lighting, earthy tones, and avocado greens. While the movie stumbles in its surface-level treatment of the story’s religious predicament, it treats young female characters with gentle respect that they’re not often afforded. To those who grew up with it, the film is a nostalgia piece that will evoke fond memories.
