The Best Received Movie of 2023 Was Also a Huge Box Office Fail
Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates on the same screen? Yes, please! This movie will make you laugh, cry, and want to call your mom right after.
Every so often, a movie comes along that captures life's smallest but at the same time the most significant moments with such precision that it feels like someone secretly went through our old diaries.
Such movies make us feel that sense of belonging and understanding that sometimes we lack even from people around us. They make us smile and think to ourselves, “Okay, so I'm not the only one.”
This Women's History Month, there's one film you need to watch that embodies all of this with remarkable grace. Despite it being a fail at the box office, it sits at a solid 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. Who cares about sales when it comes to a timeless story like this one?
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023): When Art Meets Heart
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret is an adaptation to an already influential book by Judy Blume. It introduces us to eleven-year-old Margaret, whose life takes an unexpected turn when her family moves from the big city to the suburbs.
Margaret finds herself questioning everything (as most teens do). And through her you'll find your younger self. You'll laugh and cry because it's all there, raw and real.
The movie somehow manages to be both nostalgic and very modern.
Rachel McAdams perfectly portrays a mom trying to navigate her daughter's transition into teenhood. Kathy Bates' Grandma Sylvia is nothing short of perfect. She brings that perfect blend of wisdom and sass that can very much remind you of your own grandmother.
A Box Office Underdog That Has a Lasting Impact
Following her success with The Edge of Seventeen (2016) Kelly Fremon Craig brings her signature authenticity to this already beloved story. Her direction proves that women-centric narratives aren't just for female audiences. They are universal.
Adam Nayman (The Ringer) placed the movie among 2023's best films, saying:
“The miracle of Kelly Fremon Craig’s Judy Blume adaptation is that it sidesteps them without losing its footing; it’s a wonderful exercise in equilibrium.”
Nayman also praised “Rachel McAdams's note-perfect evocation of maternal devotion and doubt as the main character's mom.”
And this authenticity of McAdams' performance comes from a deeply personal place, as she revealed to PEOPLE:
“I was a very fresh second-time mom when we shot this. It was all very fresh and my hormones were probably raging.”
While the film might not have dominated the box office, it has found its true success in the hearts of viewers and critics alike. And the world understands that when women tell stories, magic happens.
You can catch Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. on Spectrum, Plex, FlixFling, Fandango at Home, Amazon Video and Apple TV+.
