If the past week has shown us anything, there is a distinct value to a documentary like Judy Blume Forever letting the iconic American author speak in her own words. While a work like this could easily fall into being just a rote recounting of her life and career, it manages to bring a greater texture to the experience. Though certainly not as groundbreaking as the author herself, it more than gets the job done in both profiling her and discussing the vast impact her work has had. Before the feature adaptation Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret is released into theaters, this is the exact type of film that works as a primer for newcomers and a reflective portrait for those who are already more than familiar with her. For all the documentaries out there that dive into a niche topic and expose something that is unfamiliar to us, there is much to be appreciated in a film uncovering details about someone who is already an indelible part of American culture yet is still more than deserving of a deeper look.
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Whether it is getting to hear from a man on the beach who shouts excitedly about Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, one of her many outstanding children’s books that the documentary explores the underpinnings of, or the many young people that have sent her letters over the years, there is a real tenderness to the experience. It speaks to the way her stories shaped the lives of people, be they writers, celebrities, or countless kids, due to how open they could be. Obviously, Blume was a sharply funny writer who was able to capture the experience of being a kid trying to make their way in the world unlike anyone else out there. However, it was also just as much her willingness to be open about the reality of growing up that made them resonate. This, as we soon learn, did not come without a conservative backlash whose playbook remains all too familiar. As the film puts the past and present in conversation with each other, never losing sight of the humanity of the author herself, it makes clear that the fight against repression of literature is not over due to the resurgence of reactionary forces.

Image via Sundance

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This is where hearing Blume speak freely about her perspective, both in present sit-down interviews and archival footage, proves to be illuminating. Without getting too much into the nonsense alluded to earlier, there was a recent attempt to distort her words and add in support for another author’s hateful ideas that had nothing to do with what she was saying. It was deceptive to readers and disrespectful to Blume. That only makes it all the more appreciated to have a documentary like this that gives her the room to speak for herself with an openness and honesty which proves to be refreshing. Though Blume is now retired, getting to see her practice what she preaches by running a bookstore of her own that carries books that capture the breadth of human experiences that often go overlooked in the stories we tell is a valuable detail. It shows how, even after all these decades, Blume’s care for others is matched only by her love for literature and the people it connects. All the people that speak are a testament to this, making it one of those documentaries where the rogue’s gallery of talking heads doesn’t grow to be too tiresome as each is given time to reflect on her work.

This is where directors Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok avoid the trappings that many other films like this fall into. Even as there are some moments where celebrity figures interject a bit too much in what feels like a way to get their star power at the expense of more time with authors, there is still a proper balance that it manages to strike. It ensures that we come to learn not just about the way Blume approached her books, but how their impact has continued to echo into the present day. They were read by those who were then moved to write or tell stories themselves as well as a new generation. A humorous yet pointed moment occurs when we hear from younger kids who say how there are details in her books that feel dated from a technological perspective. That they then say how this doesn’t matter, as the voice that Blume brings to their experiences is what transcends time, really hits home when it counts.

The tragedy is that there are still those that seek to ban her books and works by others that speak directly to the experience of kids. The film doesn’t fully tackle the intricacies of this issue, as it is, unfortunately, expanding and changing, though it smartly gives plenty of room to Blume for her to reflect on her own experiences with hateful censorship. No matter how much the documentary can feel like it is doing the conventional box-checking, one can’t help getting swept up in hearing its compelling subject speak with such infectious passion.

Image via Prime Video

With all that being said, the most engaging parts come in moments that feel less structured and constrained by the trajectory of wanting to hit every point in her past. As Blume goes back through all the old letters she exchanges with young people and we hear from those very same people, including one whose graduation she attended, it increasingly grabs hold of the heart. It never feels cloying or sentimental for the sake of being so. Instead, it is genuine about showing how Blume really cared for kids in a world that can often be downright hostile to them. The reason that young people were and continue to be taken by her writing is that she showed them a real respect. She took their hopes and dreams just as seriously as she did their fears for the future. It was a rare gift that she gave and continues to give them. There are many aspects to her legacy as a writer, but what makes Judy Blume Forever such a valuable documentary is that it reveals the person underneath her work that made it all come alive.

Rating: B+

Judy Blume Forever is available to stream on Amazon Prime starting April 21.