Millie Thorpe, Samantha Lorraine, and Sunny Sandler in “You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah.”
In the sincere and endearing “Are You There, God? The title tween Margaret, played by Abby Ryder Fortson from “Transparent,” begs the almighty about the whims of growing up, which in her case include the possibility of relocating to a new town and her fervent desire to pass through puberty and into womanhood as quickly as possible.
It’s a film full of little moments, like making friends at a new school or seeing grandma in the city, that add up to something much bigger. It also touches on a theme that has been prevalent in entertainment this year: delicate, funny, and poignant depictions of the transition from childhood to adulthood, with all the awkwardness and joy that goes along with it.
Though it probably didn’t create the coming-of-age film, 2023 did a great job at it. Although this 70s-set adaptation of Judy Blume’s novel could have easily crossed the line into corniness, Fortson’s performance, along with those—try not to use the word “as well as” too much—of Rachel McAdams, who plays her frazzled but well-meaning mother, and Kathy Bates, who plays the domineering grandmother, are major reasons why “Margaret” manages to stay endearing and authentic.
Similarly, Netflix’s adaptation of Fiona Rosenbloom’s 2005 novel “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” is grounded by deft and affable performances. The book deftly sidesteps some serious nepo baby favoritism in order to win over viewers with an insightful look at the complex social hierarchies of middle school.
“Bat Mitzvah,” which is produced and costarring Adam Sandler, also stars his wife Jackie and two of his daughters, Sadie and Sunny. However, his daughters in particular are able to captivate our attention and make us forget how much of a Sandler family affair this is. We become engrossed in Stacy’s (Sunny Sandler) dilemma when she receives an uninvited invitation to her best friend’s bat mitzvah due to a cute boy at school and a major misunderstanding.
Stacy finds herself having to choose between her all-too-familiar desire for social acceptance and her friends at school. The audience is put right there with her, reminding us all of how those times truly felt. The same is true of the somewhat more vulgar but nonetheless witty and endearing “Bottoms,” which stars the naturally charming Rachel Sennott and blends “Fight Club” clichés with traditional teen angst themes before adding a welcome LGBT twist.
Then there’s “Barbie,” which is arguably the best film of the year. It was anchored by a very relatable and real character arc that countered all the plastic-ness. Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), a young woman who has clearly outgrown her Barbie phase, is attempting to define the boundaries of her more mature identity when she and her mother, America Ferrera, a Mattel employee, encounter the “real life” doll herself (Margot Robbie). “Barbie” conveys a positive and supportive message for women while also being humorous at times, all thanks to Sasha and her mother’s efforts to provide her with a secure and confident environment in which to grow.
However, this year’s theme of portraying young adults in a bullseye went beyond the big screen. Pedro Pascal’s wounded loner Joel serves as Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) default father figure in the popular television series “The Last of Us,” which is based on the critically renowned video game. Ellie is a young woman trying to make her way in a post-apocalyptic world where a fungal zombie outbreak has devoured everything.
In a bottle episode that felt more like a short film, the “Left Behind” episode from late in the season sheds light on Ellie’s past. It features the same gruesome high school social structures as portrayed in the films, with Ellie fighting with a bully before coming out as an independent person.. Later in the episode, Riley (“Euphoria’s”) Storm Reid, a friend who unexpectedly becomes into something more, joins her as they explore the “wonders” of the now-gone contemporary world, triggering the disorienting affects of adolescent love.
The protagonists in this year’s excellent crop of (surprisingly, mostly female) coming-of-age stories navigate through and negotiate with the outside world while their identities are actively changing, much like in classic teen films like “Heathers,” “Clueless,” and “Mean Girls.” This allows for awkward or even humiliating exchanges to come as easily as the heart-pounding blissful moments of first love, or something like it.
Even while some of the projects listed here won’t be as well-known as others before 2023 passes, the nicest thing is that films like “Are You There, God? As youngsters get older, they may always discover “It’s Me, Margaret” and “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” on their respective streaming services. Hollywood, zel tov. You’re maturing so quickly!
