Judy Blume Forever follows the life and career of Judy Blume, an author known for exploring taboo subjects in her books. The documentary is now streaming on Prime Video.
Story
The documentary first focuses on how Judy Blume, a homemaker with two children, started writing. It was not easy to get published, but Judy was determined to show the ones who rejected her stories that she can make a name for herself.
The audience gets to see Judy’s journey from there to writing a successful book called Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, a trailblazing novel that discussed issues like menstruation and is considered one of Judy’s best-known works even today.
Judy did not just write children’s books, she also wrote young adult and adult novels that touched upon taboo subjects. Her books left an impact on her readers, who wrote to her and even appeared in the documentary.
Apart from her work, the film explores Judy’s personal life and how it as well as politics influenced her work. The documentary includes interviews with Judy, her family and friends, other authors, and more, along with interesting excerpts from her books.
Positives
Judy Blume is absolutely charming and humble in the documentary. At no point does she seem arrogant, even when she talks about working at a time when not a lot of women of her class worked. She tells the story of her life in her own words, and it will draw you in.
The audience will be able to relate to Judy’s description of the various stages of her life. She talks about going from being her father’s little girl to her husband’s little wife, questioning herself if she had been leading her own life or the one her mother wanted her to live, and more.
Whenever the excerpts from Judy’s books are read aloud, the audience gets to see colorful and fascinating graphics. These graphics are a great touch; they aid the narrative and make it more interesting.
The documentary has its fair share of touching scenes. Judy’s reading of Tiger Eyes is one of them. Additionally, the letters Judy and her readers wrote to each other for years show the kind of woman she is; Judy’s bond with them is heart-warming.
Negatives
There is not much to dislike about this documentary. However, Judy’s books represent the time when they were written, and they are problematic in certain aspects, but this factor is not given the same attention as all the good aspects of her books. The documentary only slightly touches upon it towards the end.
Verdict
Judy Blume Forever is a documentary that does not have a single dull moment. It is a well-made film, and Judy’s personality is the cherry on top. The audience should definitely give it a chance, but for Judy Blume fans, it is a must-watch.
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