Crossroads (2002)

Buy This Item Crossroads (2002) by Paramount  Available from Amazon  $9.95  on 9-21-2008     Pop idol Britney Spears stars in this sweet coming-of-age movie about three childhood friends who've grown apart, but find out they may still have a lot in common. After graduating from high school, Lucy (Spears), Kit (Zoe Saldana), and Mimi (Taryn Manning) decide to take a road trip to L.A. to audition for a record label. Along the way, there's a lot of heartbreak and female bonding (not to mention a lot of midriff-baring--in her first scene, Spears jumps on her bed in her underwear, singing along to a Madonna song), as each of the three girls learns more about herself and life. <I>Crossroads</I> could have been trite schmaltz, but the script has some grit and the direction is fresh and relaxed--and, most significantly, Spears is far more sympathetic and engaging than you might expect. Also featuring Dan Aykroyd and Kim Cattrall. <I>--Bret Fetzer</I> Reader Reviews All I knew about this movie was that Britney was in it, and that it spawned the ballad hit "Not a Girl (Not Yet a Woman)". Still, deciding to give it a fair chance, I watched this with less than zero expectations. What a shocker. This was not at all the fluffy teen coming-of-age comedy that I thought it would be. Instead, what we get is a dark, sombre and chilling meditation on adolescent life, and none of the lead characters are perfect angels. One of them is pregnant, one is chronically obsessed with herself, and the other is looking for her birth mother. Perhaps the saddest, most poignant scene here is when Britney, who is in search of her biological mother, finally lands up at her mothers' door. This entire segment plays out like some of the best indie cinema I've seen. Her mother tells her that she hates her and regrets the day she was born. How realistic! No happy ending here. Watching the young Miss Spears pull off this mature scene with the most nuanced facial expressions, I was quite taken with her actual acting ability. She's not Meryl Streep, but she does have a certain *something*. Yes, the film does have its' cheesy moments (the male lead is thoroughly wasted), and the gratuitous performance of the horrid "I Love Rock and Roll" by Britney at a karaoke bar is perhaps the most annoying thing here. But there is much to rediscover and love about this film. If you've ever seen it at your local Blockbuster or if you've seen it on discount sale and never thought of picking it up, well here is a very strong recommendation that you should! "Crossroads" is not a Britney film. Its more like a sad, slow-moving independent film with heart. What a surprise!

Crossroads (2002) Available from Amazon Price: $9.95 Updated on 9-21-2008.

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