The world looked on as they thought pop star Britney Spears was crashing in front of their eyes. What the public did not see is the enduring torture that this Grammy Award-winner survived for thirteen years. That is, until now.
Writer Jenny Eliscu and documentarian Erin Lee Carr began the project Britney vs. Spears over two and a half years ago. Eliscu, who had met Britney during her tenure at The Rolling Stone, recognized trouble behind the star’s eyes as she tried to sneak backstage to reunite with her friend. Yet, Jamie Spears, Britney’s oppressive father, had intervened. The “Oops!…I Did It Again” singer rose to fame at 16 while still under the supervision of her mom, Lynne Spears. Lynne and Jamie had divorced many years before, leaving Jamie as a secondary figure in his daughter’s life. However, Britney’s quick marriage to background dancer Kevin Federline and eventual custody battle led to a decline in the artist’s mental health. This dispute caused Mr. Spears to barge in, and he begged for legal control over his grown daughter.
Britney Spears has been under a conservatorship for the last decade, meaning that another individual has complete control over her affairs. She is not able to manage her own money, make independent choices, or handle her estate. Britney had fallen in love with a paparazzi, Adnan Ghalib, in her twenties. However, due to her legal ties, she could not go on a date to a hamburger joint with him unless she obtained her father’s permission. Her management made the pop icon a workhorse as she toured nonstop and juggled two Las Vegas residencies. All this mother wanted was her life back and unrestricted access to see her two sons.
Multiple times during the film, Eliscu and Carr break down. Their frustration over the court’s physical evidence of Ms. Spear’s struggles is palpable. How is her access to independent counsel rejected? Why is she being put into mental institutions against her will? When will this multi-millionaire be able to manage her own finances, as opposed to receiving an allowance?
The 39-year-old Spears is constantly begging for help from her tight inner circle, but if a member gets too close to breaking her chains, then they are released by her father. Only this past month has her life slowly began to improve. She has been given lithium as opposed to her regular medications, which causes detrimental mental effects. Her father forces her to take birth control, despite her wish to get married and have another child with her fiancé, Sam Asghari. Britney spoke in front of a judge, begging for her hell to end. The judge initially denied her plea, but on September 7th, her father finally stepped down from his tyrannical post as a conservator. So, is Britney free?
This film highlights the absolute chaos that Britney Spears masked for much of the 21st century. The passion behind the curators is seen through their drive to liberate the star and their friend. Personal interviews with former employees, friends, and colleagues give a peephole into the long-standing history of Spears’s two conservatorships. Stream the must-see Britney vs. Spears on Netflix to see the drama unfold for yourself!