Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. (2023) Review

When her family moves from the city to the suburbs from New York to New Jersey, Margaret who’s 11 years old must navigate new friends, feelings and the impending start of puberty.

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A coming of age film that really manages to hit so many different aspects of being 11 years old and about to turn 12 years old. Within the film it was moving from Elementary School to Junior High and in England we have a big transition between schools at a similar age as well from Primary to Secondary when you are 11 years old. So this will be a film that could well bring back memories of being that age and the different things you had to deal with and work out at that time. Especially when you get pulled into a group who can be mean to others.

Then throw in believing that you want to be an adult. I mean when you watch this back as an adult you cannot help but laugh at certain moments and think, they really have no idea what they are actually wishing for. I mean for me the girls really wanting to start their periods is probably one of the worst things ever, I mean it isn’t the most pleasant of experiences is it? 

As well as that difficult stage of growing up, it also touches on how you try and find your different friendship group and that certain people will just not be right for you at all but you won’t realise that until something quite bad happens. The way in which Margaret has a supportive mother and father really is great to see as well as her Grandmother who takes the move from New York to New Jersey the worst. It does have some truly lovely moments with her Grandmother and travelling into the city alone to see her was a huge highlight.

We do then find out that her mother’s parents pretty much disowned her when she wanted to marry her father due to them being Christian and him being Jewish. Therefore Margaret did not have a religion due to this fallout and she would be allowed to decide when she was older. This leads to her teacher giving her the assignment of researching religion for her project and she really does go all in and attends different churches and temples to see what it’s all about. 

The findings from the research are massively impacted by a huge family fallout and she quite easily sums up what a lot of people see religion as, something for people to fight over! With all of that going on Margaret actually keeps praying to God, even though she does openly admit that she doesn’t actually know if she even believes he exists. Then when she does actually ask for something the opposite seems to happen and makes her question religion even more.

The film flows at a good pace and in a good manner as well with an impressive leading performance from Abby Ryder Fortson. I still cannot come to terms with how old Rachel McAdams is now and being the mother (I guess that always means I forget how old I am too) but she is just lovely and perfect for the role. Kathy Bates is an utter scene stealer and was again perfect in that role as well. Elle Graham, Amari Alexis Price and Katherine Mallon Kupferer all link very well together with Fortson as the group of four that we see the majority of the film focus on.