Netflix is once again serving up what everyone wants on a silver platter: quality movies and great classics that have left a mark on an entire generation. In just a few weeks, Crossroads will join the catalog, Britney Spears‘ debut film.
This will be the streaming debut of the iconic film, which not only features the Princess of Pop as the protagonist but was also brought to life by stars like Zoe Saldana, Taryn Manning, Kim Cattrall and Justin Long.
The title first saw the light in 2002, with Tamra Davis (Dead to Me) directing it, and Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal) developing the script. Here, check out when it will be added to the streaming giant…
When is Crossroads coming to Netflix?
Crossroads, Britney Spears’ cinematic debut, will be arriving on Netflix’s catalog quite soon. As of now, its addition to the catalog is scheduled for February 15, 2024, so the countdown has already begun.
Britney Spears, Zoe Saldana and Taryn Manning in Crossroads. (Source: X – @DannyWxo)
Now that the drama has returned to the spotlight, many controversies from that time have resurfaced. One of them is related to the pop music singer and producer Ann Carli, who had to defend her from exploitation.
During an interview with Variety, the film producer confessed that Spears’ team “wanted her to be recording at night after she did a full day’s work on the set”, but she didn’t allow it.
“I just said, ‘Absolutely not. I’ll shut the movie down right now, because that’s not fair to her’. They had her come to me and say, ‘It’s okay. I don’t mind [having] to work an 18-hour day’. And I said, ‘Guess what? You don’t have to'”, she said.
What is Crossroads about?
Although Crossroads was met with mixed reviews upon its release, it has become a cult film for some fans, standing out for its focus on themes of friendship, self-discovery and the music of the time.
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Since the film features Britney Spears, music plays a significant role. It includes performances of popular songs from the era, contributing to the storyline and each main character’s personal journey of self-discovery.
The story follows three childhood friends, Lucy, Kit and Mimi, who reunite during a road trip. Each has their own aspirations and challenges, and the journey becomes an opportunity for them to confront their fears, resolve lingering issues, and discover more about themselves.
Who is the cast of Crossroads?
As seen from the very beginning, the romantic and musical drama is led by Britney Spears, Zoe Saldana and Taryn Manning as three childhood friends. Despite their talent, they were accompanied by significant guest stars.
The Queen of Pop brings Lucy to life, a young woman searching for her identity and aspiring to be a singer. Saldana portrays Kit, who faces family issues and aspires to study medicine. Manning plays Mimi, a teenage mother with dreams of becoming an actress.
Britney Spears, Anson Mount, Zoe Saldana and Taryn Manning in Crossroads. (Source: X – @DannyWxo)
Lucy’s parents are portrayed by Kim Cattrall and Dan Aykroyd, breathing life into Caroline and Pete Wagner. On the other hand, Anson Mount appears in several scenes alongside the main trio, portraying Ben, a musician who joins the journey.
The cast is quite extensive and also includes figures like Justin Long, Katherine Boecher, Bahni Turpin, Beverly Johnson, Richard Voll, Branden Williams and Shonda Farr, who have played supporting roles within the storyline.
What did the critics say about Crossroads?
Crossroads has come back into the spotlight, and many major outlets have revisited critiques in recent years about the drama that turned Britney Spears into an actress. After 21 years since its release, the movie will have its grand streaming debut, so many reviews are yet to come, but here are three notable ones:
Mekita Rivas from Harper’s Bazaar stated that she reconsidered the classic and that it reflects the life of the pop star in more than one way. She also wrote: “The film’s plot, which turns 20 today, is essentially a loose recounting of Spears’s own journey from a small-town Southern girl to a global superstar“.
Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone: “The 2002 movie has been hidden for too long. Like Britney herself, it deserves a chance to break free” — “As expected, a lot of people trashed the movie, but some of us loved it. Rolling Stone rated the ‘I Love Rock & Roll’ scene as ‘the most accurate portrait of America since The Bodyguard,’ and added: ‘Britney is our national karaoke Cleopatra, the secret we hide under our skin‘”.
Pamela Hutchinson from The Guardian: “When she was on the cusp of 20, Spears sang her song in Crossroads, a 90-minute movie that was unfairly dismissed by critics but embraced by its audience. Britney fans realized something good: this movie is much better than you’ve heard. When Lucy, Spears’s character, reads the lyrics to ‘I’m Not a Girl’ in front of a crackling campfire, it sounds fresh. When she sings it in the movie’s climax, it’s almost revelatory“.
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Lisa Schwarzbaum from Entertainment Weekly was one of the few who gave a positive opinion in the early 2000s when the title had just hit the big screen. At that time, she praised the singer’s “sweetly playful acting skills” and proclaimed that she had “made it to the big screen safe and sound”.
