Review: The New York Times Presents: Framing Britney Spears (2021)

aka Framing Britney Spears

2001

Genre: Documentary

Synopsis: Her rise was a global phenomenon. Her downfall was a cruel national sport. People close to Britney Spears and lawyers tied to her conservatorship now reassess her career as she battles her father in court over who should control her life 

By Waiching 

'Shows The Media, The Press and The Entertainment Industry Spares No One... Unless One is Young, Male and White'

In this New York Times- produced, FX and Hulu docuseries, Framing Britney Spears delves into the proclaimed pop princess' career and conservatorship, and in such damning fashion, as well as of her mental health challenges and the incessant & ugly tabloid-hounding and s**t-shaming she has endured & her gradual loss of control. Since 2008, Britney's finances and decisions have been in the hands of her father, Jamie. Speaking of Jamie, it has been revealed by the director, Samantha Stark, that he and his team tried to intimidate The New York Times with lawyers, in their attempt to shut down the release of this documentary. 

The documentary centres its topics around the conservatorship (which she was placed into aged 26 & one she is trying to free herself from) & the 'Free Britney' movement, courtesy of the stars' impassioned fan base, that came out of it, but also it intertwines her pop career through archival footage and how sexism and misogyny were rampant & played a part in disparaging Britney as a young woman and as a person. 

If one was around in the 1990s, s/he would be familiar with Britney Jean Spears: a Louisiana native and ex-member of the Mickey Mouse Club TV show, Spears was a millennial icon, who sold millions of records, worldwide and topped the charts in several countries through songs such as the famous, 'Baby, One More Time', '(You Drive Me) Crazy' and 'Oops! I Did It Again!'. I was born in the same year as Britney, 1981 and so I was familiar with her career & songs from her breakthrough with 'Baby, One More Time' right into the 2000s with 'Stronger' and 'Lucky'. My favourite albums of hers are Baby, One More Time', Oops, I Did It Again, Britney, In The Zone and Femme Fatale. 

The film features several interviews from journalists bombarding Britney with questions about her sex life and sexuality, along with participants in former assistant and companion, Felicia Culotta (who can be seen in the Baby, One More Time music video) & a backup dancer, Kevin Tancharoen, as well as paparazzo Daniel Ramos, of whom many fans could have done without. 

The effectiveness of the documentary is revelatory and watchable in places, it was an eye-opener & informative; with clips of former NSYNC boyband star & pop star, Justin Timberlake, quiz show Family Feud, Jay Leno and Diane Sawyer and all of the other tabloid vultures all mocking her. Not to mention the foreign TV presenter asking Britney about her breasts, which boarded on filthy. They all humiliated her and used that humiliation as a form of entertainment to grind her down. 'What had the early 2000s come to?', many will say and by reflecting on supposedly harmless fun, is seen in today's lenses as mere bullying, and toxic behaviour of the highest order that would never be condoned in 2021. A mix of emotions flowed as I sat through this: of anger, disgust, of how it shouldn't have come to this - had Britney had the support network that she needed to help her navigate the difficult periods of her life. But alas, the people she surrounded herself with had let her down. 

What would have been seen as memorable at the time, would nowadays be considered as crude as they take potshots at the singer. It made me angry as I watched this, but also I was glad that the filmmaker, Samantha Stark made this and made this with the intention to show the other side of Britney Spears that mainstream media and press overlook. It was striking somewhat to see Britney being involved with her shows and music videos and having a say in the creative decisions; her associates and disparages assert that she possesses a strong work ethic and is not lacking in ideas; thus dispersing claims and the notion that she was a pop puppet who isn't or wasn't fully in control, musically and career-wise.

In addition to the much-publicised Britney break down/meltdown that led to the head-shaving incident & umbrella attack on a paparazzi's car, before all that happened, and following on from the 2002 infamous Britney and Justin break-up, came the ABC Diane Sawyer prime-time segment which aired in 2003. It was particularly odious, with Sawyer's barrage of comments defending Justin Timberlake and painting out that Britney cheated on him, which turned out to be unfounded. To make matters worse, she also scolded the singer by informing Britney that the wife of a governor that if she ''had the opportunity to shoot Britney Spears'', she would & even approved of it as well, which was unsavoury to watch. Timberlake was a prominent figure in Janet Jackson's downfall through the infamous wardrobe malfunction at the Superbowl halftime show, as well as Britney's. Whilst Janet's career was cancelled, Britney's stalled, whereas Timberlake's went in the opposite direction, as he used both women to further his career.

''I think Justin Timberlake has some things to answer to, not just about Britney Spears, but about his role in sexualising and demonising Janet Jackson after the Superbowl, & we as a society, we have to look at why we treated a woman who was clearly in pain (& by the way she was suffering from post-partum depression when she shaved her head)'' Meghan McCain - The View 

As the film argues, framed as in being blamed, framed as being set up for failure or set up by building Britney up, - only to knock her down when the media and Hollywood feel like it, & framed by being painted as a b****, the villainess, who cheated with guys she dated and married. 

Despite it not featuring many of her songs and less emphasis is placed on her pop career and success of the late 1990s and early 2000s, Britney's story is an important one to watch because she was a pawn for moneymakers who never saw Britney for her talent but for her sexuality, who could help them make millions of dollars-, and yet they didn't have or show any genuine concern or interest towards her emotional and mental well-being. Yet in Framing Britney Spears, one notices how incredibly messed up and corrupt the entertainment and showbiz industries and Hollywood have been and can be, as they seek to dehumanise and chew the likes of Britney up and spit them out afterwards when they are no longer flavour of the month, and still profiting from their miseries. 

Final Verdict:

Whether or not you are a Britney fan or not, one needs to see this documentary to realise how society, or be it the media and the negative impact of the media and tabloids, can be soul-destroying & toxic: our obsession and relationship with the media and press when they stoop as low as they have done towards the likes of Britney Spears and countless other celebs need rethinking and re-evaluating completely, & immensely.

Overall: