Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

Based on Judy Blume’s iconic novel, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. follows Abby Ryder Fortson as she comes of age during a particular tumultuous school year. Filmmaker Kelly Fremon Craig, armed with her own screenplay, delivers a mostly watchable yet thoroughly generic endeavor that benefits from its compelling 1970s vibe and raft of above-average performances, as, in terms of the latter, Fortson’s tremendously appealing, engaging work as the affable central character is matched by top-notch periphery players like Rachel McAdams, Benny Safdie, and Kathy Bates. It’s disappointing to note, then, that Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. never becomes as engrossing or involving as one might’ve anticipated, and there’s little doubt, certainly, that the almost paint-by-numbers bent of Craig’s bland script generally perpetuates the movie’s good-but-rarely-great atmosphere – with the ensuing arms-length feel alleviated by a handful of attention-grabbing interludes (eg McAdams’ Barbara’s ongoing dealings with her bigoted parents). By the time the predictably unmemorable final stretch rolls around, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. has undoubtedly cemented its place as a decent-enough (albeit woefully forgettable) adaptation that passes the time without ever making much of an impact.

**1/2 out of ****