Of the films releasing early on Thursday, I decided to sidle into Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret first since I calculated that it might be the best time to check out the movie before an army of parents and tween girls descend upon the theater. Awkward!

Are You There God? is the first theatrical adaptation of the 50+ year old (egads) classic coming-of-age novel by Jude Blume. It follows twelve year old Margaret as she’s forced to move to the suburbs, make new friends, and deal with the looming threat of puberty.

I read the book for the first time as an adult and my main memory of it is that I was glad I didn’t read it as a twelve year old boy. The frank discussion of boobs and menstruation would have both puzzled and and concerned me. But that’s the magic of this book… making adults and teenage boys uncomfortable while the girls adore it for its direct, honest discussion of 50% of humanity.

And the film follows suit. It’s not ONLY about mensuration and boobs though that’s heavily part of the flick. It’s really a flick about a young lady finding out who she is and who she wants to be. That’s done through awkward first kisses, purchasing tampons, understanding her parents, dealing with their mixed religious upbringings, and so forth.

The movie is awkward and amusing, a gentle combination of low-stakes moments that form a snapshot of growing up. It’s funny… I laughed a number of times… but it’s not uproariously hilarious. It takes its time to be cute, amusing, and heartbreaking in equal measures. A dramady, you might say… a word that certainly didn’t exist when the book was written.

The film does have slight pacing issues in the middle of its runtime… it gets a little shaggy going from moment to moment. There’s some story-telling shortcuts and editing that could have been handled smoother. It’s not egregious though and the movie is lovely and funny enough for me to let them slide.

I recommend this flick, even if you have to sneak in under the gaze of concerned parents and giggling tweens. Especially if you love the book or Judy Blume in general. It’s an earnest adaptation of her novel. And maybe… just maybe… if the movie is watched by enough people, it’ll cheese off some tutting busy-bodies who are actively trying to ban the book. Again.

Score: 86