Film: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

I vaguely know of the book and certainly know of the author Judy Blume but have never read it, nor know about the controversy that apparently surrounded it.

The film version doesn’t give me any clues so I guess you have to be a. Off the time and b. American. 

I found no controversy about a pre-pubescent girl, Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson) who moves out of New York City when her dad finds a new job in New Jersey which means her mum ( Rachel McAdams)  can give up her art teacher job - that she clearly loves. She leaves behind her brilliantly warm and witty yet manipulative grandmother (Kathy Bates) and has to find new friends at a new school, which she duly does with the help of the uppity girl next door.

Off they go in their race for who is going to be the first to wear a bra, start periods and kiss a boy - all stuff that just seems to be in films or maybe peer group avoid it. I think I was generally neither the first nor last to experience those monumental entries to womanhood in my gang of four. (And why are girlfriend groups always in fours? So no one is the boss? So there is always someone to hang with?)

The title references Margaret’s constant praying/begging to God to make things right in her life, without actually really believing in God. Her parents are Jewish/Christian so bought her up without a faith, despite her grandparents' wishes. This is an interesting part of the story, but not the main bit for me. I did love that her teacher gave her a year-long research project on why she dislikes religious holidays. This made me think, how do I get paid to do a year-long research project. I think I would have loved that at school.

It is rather wonderful to see a gentle coming-of-age film full of joy. Unless you are 11 and then the world is constantly falling apart. And I loved seeing the 1970s interiors. Of course, I did.
7½/10

PS One of the friends group is a black girl but when I went to look for an image with all four, there were only a couple. So instead I picked this one.