Are you there God?

When was the last time you asked that question?

Of course, the question is dependent on whether or not you believe in God.

The question is asked a lot in the movie, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.”

The question about God is a running commentary, voice-over narrative and interior monologue by Margaret, played with guileless grace, sincerity and believability by Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret Simon, an 11-year-old girl coping with insecurities and anxieties, especially about puberty.

The movie is based on the 1970 young adult novel by Judy Blume, a producer of the movie, and is directed by Kelly Fremon Craig (screenwriter-director, “The Edge Of Seventeen,” 2016), who wrote the screenplay.

In the movie, Margaret Simon is distraught when she moves with her parents Herb (an excellent Benny Safdie) and Barbara Simon (a wonderful Rachel McAdams) from Manhattan to a New Jersey suburb. Margaret quickly makes new friends. Pre-teen girls’ problems preoccupy them.

The movie gently and realistically deals with a range of topics, rendered realistically and compassionately in the sensitive direction by Kelly Fremon Craig. The movie is in the tradition of the genre of what has been dubbed a chick’s flick.

The movie is more of a mother-daughter flick and even a grandmother-daughter flick.

It’s refreshing to see a pre-teen girl problems and family problems portrayed so candidly and without being cloying in a mainstream movie. There are uncomfortable moments, but these create necessary conflict and drama and advance the plot.

A chief plot point has to do with the mixed-religion marriage of Herb and Barbara. Herb is Jewish. Barbara is Christian. Each has lapsed in their beliefs.

Their daughter Margaret wants to believe. She wants to know. Should she be Jewish? Should she be Christian? “Are you there God? It’s Me, Margaret.” is said often in the movie. It’s as if Margaret wants to say, “I believe, therefore I am.”

The movie has several breakout performances, especially by Abby Ryder Fortson (“Ant-Man and The Wasp,” 2018), who has a great combination of consternation, beguiling and thoughtful expressions. In the title role of Margaret, Fortson needs to carry the movie. She does.

Standouts in the young cast include Elle Graham (Nancy), Katherine Mallen Kupferer (Gretchen), Aidan Wojtak-Hissong (Moose), Amari Alexi Price (Janie), Landon S. Baxter (Evan) and Isol Young (Laura).

Kathy Bates is great as fraternal grandmother Sylvie.

The music is jaunty by composer Hans Zimmer (Oscar, “Dune,” 2022; “The Lion King,” 1995). The soundtrack has lots of circa 1970 pop-rock songs.

The true-to-the era costume design is by Ann Roth (Oscar, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” 2021; “The English Patient,” 1997) of Bangor, Northampton County.

“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” is an admirable and often humorous movie. It could be recommended for mothers and daughters, and fathers and daughters.

“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.”

MPAA Rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.) for thematic material involving sexual education and some suggestive material; Genre: Comedy, Drama; Run time: 1 hour, 46 minutes. Distributed by Lionsgate.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

In “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.,” the book’s author Judy Blume has a cameo as Neighbor Walking Dog No. 1. The movie was filmed in New Jersey, North Carolina and New York City.

Theatrical Movie Domestic Box Office,

May 5-7: It’s the Chris Pratt Cinematic Universe (CPCU). We just live in it.

Chris Pratt replaced Chris Pratt at No. 1 at the box office.

Chris Pratt stars as Peter Quill in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” which kicked off the summer movie season early, opening, $114 million in 4,450 theaters, knocking “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which stars the voice talents of Chris Pratt as Mario, from its four-week perch at No. 1 to No. 2 with $18.6 million in 3,909 theaters as the animation feature film bounded past the $500 million domestic box office mark, the first Illumination Studios release to do so, with $518.1 million, five weeks.

It’s the CPCU versus the MCU. Either way, Chris Pratt is the box-office champ six weeks in a row.

3. “Evil Dead Rise” dropped one place, with $5.7 million in 3,036 theaters, $54.1 million, three weeks. 4. “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” dropped one place, $3.3 million in 3,343 theaters, $12.6 million, two weeks. 5. “John Wick: Chapter 4” stayed in place, $2.3 million in 2,481 theaters, $180 million, seven weeks. 6. “Love Again,“ weekend, $2.1 million in 2,703 theaters, $2.4 million since opening. 7. “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” dropped one place, $1.5 million in 1,751 theaters, $92 million, six weeks. 8. “Air” dropped one place, $1.3 million in 1,632 theaters, $50.2 million, five weeks. 9. “Guy Ritchie’s the Covenant” stayed in place, $1.2 million in 1,807 theaters, $14.7 million, three weeks. 10. “Sisu” stayed in place, $1 million in 1,006 theaters, $5.5 million, two weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of May 7 is subject to change.

Unreel, May 12:

“Book Club: The Next Chapter,”

PG-13: Bill Holderman directs Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen, Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen and Andy Garcia in the Comedy. The book club travels to Italy.

Movie opening date information from Internet Movie Database as of May 7 is subject to change.

Four Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes