History Film / AreYouThereGodItsMeMargaret

* BrandX: In the drugstore, among some real brands of the era, are the period products ''Private Lady'' and ''Teenage Softies''. Janie and Maragert buy ''Teenage Softies''.
* CallingTheOldManOut: When Sylvia and Barbara's parents start arguing over whether Margaret is Jewish or Christian, Margaret loses her temper at both of them and says she's ''neither''--then says [[CrisisOfFaith she doesn't even believe in God]] before storming to her room.

--> [[VanityPlate Shhhhh!]]

* CreatorCameo: The original author, Creator/JudyBlume, is seen walking a small dog through the neighborhood during the EstablishingShot of Farbrook.

** During Norman's party, the children are less rowdy (Nancy's dress doesn't get damaged) and while Philip briefly spits mustard on the ceiling, Norman's mother does not interrupt the party to fuss at them for ill behavior and leaves at the start not to return. Furthermore, Tow Minutes In Heaven is slimmed down so that the children pair up, rather than back-and-forth; Philip, for example, only goes in the bathroom with Margaret, not Laura Danker (who herself only goes with Freddy, not him and Freddy).

** During Norman's party, the children are less rowdy (Nancy's dress doesn't get damaged) and while Philip briefly spits mustard on the ceiling, Norman's mother does not interrupt the party to fuss at them for ill behavior and leaves at the start not to return.

** Philip Leroy, while still something of a jerk, is slightly less so. Notably, during Norman's party when they play 2 Minutes in Heaven he goes into the bathroom with Margaret (instead of Laura Danker) and only gives her two kisses politely--one on the cheek, and one on the lips. He still does the "pinch to grow an inch" joke on her birthday that upsets her, and spits mustard on the ceiling during the party, but he's not as overly nasty as before.

** Margaret lies that her top boy is Philip Leroy instead of Moose. She also lies that she kissed Philip repeatedly during Two Minutes when it was only twice, but it was in part to make Nancy jealous.

* DemotedToExtra: Freddy Barnett, who was one of the leaders of the many classroom troubles against new teacher Mr. Benedict, is demoted to a minor character who doesn't have much to do but is present in many class scenes--and ends up going in the bathroom during Two Minutes in Heaven with Laura Danker rather than Philip doing it, being very embarrassed along with her.

* BathroomStallOfAngst: In the movie, Margaret cries in the girls' bathroom after only turning in a single sheet of paper for her year-long project.

* CoverupPurchase: Embarrassed about buying menstrual pads for the first time--especially with a teenage boy clerk at the checkout-- Margaret and Janie buy a pack of [=TicTacs=] along with them to curb attention away from the pads. In the book Margaret is not as embarrassed, in part because she's had a recent CrisisOfFaith and is feeling defiant against God, but still purchases a comb so they're not just getting pads.
* DemotedToExtra: Freddy Barnett, who was one of the leaders of the many classroom troubles against new teacher Mr. Benedict, is demoted to a minor character who doesn't have much to do but is present in many class scenes--and ends up going in the bathroom with Laura Danker rather than Philip doing it, being very embarrassed along with her.
* {{Deuteragonist}}: The film puts Margaret's mother Barbara in this role. With Herb making more money and Margaret nearing twelve, she leaves her job teaching painting to be a stay-at-home mom. She struggles to adjust to homemaking--finding herself bored--and the difficulties of being in the PTA, especially as someone who's just [[ExtremeDoormat too nice to say no]] when extra tasks are heaped on her and having almost no time for her art. She's also clearly still hurting from [[IHaveNoSon being disowned by her parents]], so when they reach out to her she pins her hopes on them having changed. At the end of the film, Barbara has resumed teaching painting and when the head of the PTA, Mrs. Wheeler, tries to corner her to help again in middle school, she says no.

* FirstPeriodPanic: Avoided. After Gretchen has her first period (the first of the girls to get it), she tells her friends what it was like and doesn't have a lot to say in specifics (which frustrates Nancy, who wanted more details); she didn't panic and simply let her mom know. Nancy says she got hers shortly thereafter while in DC and didn't panic at all. [[spoiler:Then the trope is {{Zigzagged|Trope}} when Nancy gets her first period for ''real'' and ends up panicking and crying in the bathroom.]]

* PeerPressureMakesYouEvil: Or at least, a bully. Margaret's first friend in New Jersey, Nancy Wheeler, immediately tells her awful things about their classmate Laura Danker (who is going through precocious puberty), including claiming she goes behind the A&P and lets boys feel her up. Margaret believes what she's told and treats Laura like an anathema throughout the book, until Laura calls her out about it to her face. Margaret later shows remorse for believing this and makes a kind gesture to Laura before the end of the school year.

* SeasonalBaggage: The seasons are shown passing through methos such as Moose doing maintenance in the Simon's front lawn and images of trees losing leaves, being bare, or budding them. In the classroom, motifs for the year are present in the background such as construction paper leaves for fall.

* AndStarring: To be specific, "And Introducing". Abby Ryder Fortson gets this credit because it's her first starring role, though she'd been in several other films (perhaps most notably, she played Cassie Lang in the first two ''Ant-Man'' movies before being replaced by Creator/EmmaFuhrmann in ''Film/AvengersEndgame'').

* CoverupPurchase: Embarrassed about buying menstrual pads for the first time--especially with a teenage boy clerk at the checkout-- Margaret and Janie buy a pack of [=TicTacs=] along with them to curb attention away from the pads. In the book Margaret is not as embarrassed, in part because she's had a recent CrisisOfFaith of faith and is feeling defiant against God, but still purchases a comb so they're not just getting pads.

* FakeBoobs: Margaret stuffs her new bra briefly with socks, and mocks Laura Danker dances around her room until startled by her father injuring himself. A deleted scene also shows her stuffing her bra with cotton balls before Norman's party.

* RunningGag: The movie frequently points out the lack of furnishings in the Simons' living room. It's only mentioned twice in the book, once by Margaret explaining her mother hasn't decided and during the visit from Barbara's parents where the living room is still bare. In the movie, Barbara has gotten good furniture before her parents visit.

* DawsonCasting: Isol Young was about fifteen when she was cast as sixth grader Laura Danker; this is so Laura looks older and more developed than the other girls.

** Margaret is frustrated over the fact that she hasn't started developing breasts yet and is jealous of buxom Laura Denker about being more developed.
** When the four girls sneak a copy of ''Magazine/{{Playboy}}'' to look at, Gretchen calls Miss June's breast globes and laments that hers are just "little wizard hats."

** Sylvia only comes to visit once, coming up from Florida when Margaret can't come to her. This is combined with the visit from Barbara's parents, leading to a confrontation between them both over Margaret's faith in front of her and them both upsetting her.

** Margaret and her parents are nicer in the film than in the book. Barbara is closer to Margaret and helps her navigate through various issues; after Margaret is upset after a bad day at school, Barbara asks her to sit on the couch and they briefly mention their sour feelings. Herb is less hostile to his wife about her having contacted her parents and more upset about how they treated ''her'' than how they treat him; he ultimately says she ''should'' let them visit, clearly hoping that she's right and they'll be kinder to them all. Margaret, most importantly, has a HeelRealization after Laura Danker calls her out for how she's joined in on the gossip and becomes willing to make friends with Laura rather than nothing happening after Laura tells her off--and Janie is willing to join her in befriending Laura.
** Philip Leroy, while still something of a jerk, is slightly less so. Notably, during Norman's party when they play 2 minutes in heaven he goes into the bathroom with Margaret instead of Laura Danker and only gives her two kisses politely--one on the cheek, and one on the lips. He still does the "pinch to grow an inch" joke and spits mustard on the ceiling during the party, but he's not as nasty as before.
** Freddy is no longer a prominent ClassClown and more of a minor character.
** Mary and Paul Hutchins, Barbara's parents, are more sympathetic and less fundamentalist, appearing to honestly be trying to reconnect with Barbara and know Margaret. While still clearly Christian--including looking visibly unsure during Sylvia cheering "l'chaim" at dinner and arguing with Sylvia over Margaret's faith afterwards--they seem to be be regretful about their actions after Margaret storms off and even say they'll call to talk to Barbara before leaving in the cab, implying they want to try and reconcile with her in some way and remain in her life.
* AdaptationalSympathy: Margaret's mom Barbara is made more sympathetic in the movie, in part by giving her her own plotline outside of Maragaret's perception with both angst about her parents and the frustration of being a housewife.

** Gretchen's father is only briefly mentioned as a doctor when she takes the anatomy book for them to look at; Herb does not go to the hospital after cutting his hand on the mower, so he's not seen at all and Margaret only learns about Gretchen on the first day of school.
* AgainstMyReligion: During the preparations for Margaret's class's holiday choir concert -- with five Christian songs and three Hanukkah ones -- Jewish classmate Alan Gordon refuses to sing Christmas songs and Christian classmate Lisa Murphy refuses to sing Hanukkah songs, both claiming it's against their religion. Mr. Benedict's appeal to reason fails. Unlike in the book, Mr. Benedict compromises by allowing both kids to remain silent during any songs that go against their beliefs.

** When Barbara tells Margaret about being [[IHaveNoSon disowned by her parents]] for marrying a Jewish man (which has Margaret indignant and horrified) she says that it happened a long time ago so she's fine. But she's crying as she explains, and later reaches out to her parents.
** Margaret lies that her top boy is Philip Leroy instead of Moose. She also lies that she kissed Philip repeatedly during Two Minutes when it was only twice.

* CoverupPurchase: Embarrassed about buying menstrual pads for the first time--especially with a teenage boy clerk Margaret and Janie buy a pack of [=TicTacs=] along with them to curb attention away from the pads. In the book Margaret is not as embarrassed, in part because she's had a recent CrisisOfFaith of faith and is feeling defiant against God, but still purchases a comb so they're not just getting pads.

* FirstPeriodPanic: After Gretchen has her first period, she tells her friends (who've yet to get theirs) that it's nothing to worry about. Nancy says she got hers shortly thereafter and didn't panic at all. [[spoiler:Only to panic and cry the day it happens for real.]]
* GoodParents: In this version especially, Barbara is a really good mom to Margaret. She's supportive without being smothering -- such as when she warns Margaret that wearing shoes without socks will give her blisters, but doesn't insist on them and leaves her to learn this on her own -- and worries about not having spent enough time with her. She does make mistakes, but in the film the situation with her parents has her come across much better, and she checks in on Margaret afterwards in a very compassionate way.
* PeerPressureMakesYouEvil: *Or at least, a bully. Margaret's first friend in New Jersey, Nancy Wheeler, immediately tells her awful things about their classmate Laura Danker (who is going through precocious puberty), including claiming she goes behind the A&P and lets boys feel her up. Margaret believes what she's told and treats Laura like an anathema throughout the book, until Laura calls her out about it to her face. Margaret later shows remorse for believing this and tries to be kind to Laura before the end of the school year.

** Janie, who is white in the books, is cast in the movie as black Amari Alexis Price.[[note]]While not explicitly stated in the book, multiple covers that included the other characters portray her as white. Given the themes of conforming in suburbia and fitting in -- and the way Judy Blume mentions race in another book, ''Literature/IggiesHouse''--it's clear she's white.[[/note]] This also leads to some AdaptationalDiversity in the story as, when she takes Margaret to church with her, a black gospel choir performs; she also has her hair pressed by her mother before Norman's party. The behind the scenes also explained that her room has ''Jet'' magazine clippings to decorate it.

* RunningGag: The movie frequently points out the lack of furnishings in the Simons' living room. It's only mentioned twice in the book, once by Margaret explaining her mother hasn't decided and during the visit from Barbara's parents. (In the movie, Barbara has gotten good furniture before her parents visit.)

** The book has the menstruation video be more matter of fact, and there's no follow up with a brand promotion.

** When the four girls sneak a copy of ''Magazine/Playboy'' to look at, Gretchen calls Miss June's breast globes and laments that hers are just "little wizard hats."

* SixtiesHair: Compared to Barbara's free flowing long hair, Nancy's mother Jan Wheeler has a late 1960s bouffant.

** Barbara has long, loose hair down her back.

** Mary and Paul Hutchins, Barbara's parents, are more sympathetic and less fundamentalist, appearing to honestly be trying to reconnect with Barbara and know Margaret. While still clearly Christian--including looking visibly unsure during Sylvia cheering "l'chaim" at dinner and arguing with Sylvia over Margaret's faith afterwards--they seem to be be regretful about their actions after Margaret storms off and even say they'll call to talk to Barbara before leaving in the cab, implying they want to try and reconcile with her in some way.
* AdaptationalSympathy: Margaret's mom Barbara is made more sympathetic in the movie, in part by giving her her own plotline outside of Maragaret's perception with both her parents and the frustration of being a housewife.

* CoverupPurchase:Embarrassed about buying menstrual pads for the first time, Margaret and Janie buy a pack of [=TicTacs=] along with them to curb attention away from the pads. In the book Margaret is not as embarrassed, in part because she's had a recent CrisisOfFaith of faith and is feeling defiant against God, but still purchases a comb along with the pads. (In the movie the purchase is made before her crisis.)
* {{Deuteragonist}}: The film puts Margaret's mother Barbara in this role. With Herb making more money, she leaves her job teaching painting to be a stay-at-home mom. She struggles to adjust to homemaking--finding herself bored--and the difficulties of being in the PTA, especially as someone who's just [[ExtremeDoormat too nice to say no]] when extra tasks are heaped on her. She's also clearly still hurting from [[IHaveNoSon being disowned by her parents]], so when they reach out to her she pins her hopes on them having changed. At the end of the film, Barbara has resumed teaching painting and when the head of the PTA, Mrs. Wheeler, tries to corner her to help again in middle school, she says no.

* FakeBoobs: The Pre-Teen Sensations stuff their shirts and training bras with cotton balls. Margaret also does it briefly with socks, and dances around her room until startled by her father injuring himself.

''Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.'' is a 2023 coming-of-age dramedy [[TheFilmOfTheBook film adapted from]] the [[Literature/AreYouThereGodItsMeMargaret young adult novel of the same name]] with Creator/KellyFremonCraig (who had previously directed another coming-of-age dramedy, ''Film/TheEdgeOfSeventeen'') at the helm.

[[redirect:Literature/AreYouThereGodItsMeMargaret]]