![[box cover]](../../reviewimgs/c/crossroads02.jpg)
Crossroads (2002)
Britney Spears' looks like the prettiest girl on the cheerleading squad, the popular girl who must get by on her generically attractive features. Which Britney does well. It is exactly these qualities and limitations that have made Britney who she is in terms of her pre-packaged, Pepsi persona. She's a supergirl, but approachable, personable, sweet, and barely slutty. Eight year-old girls aren't going to start turning tricks from watching her cavort around in skimpy costumes. However, they will love Crossroads (2002) and especially this DVD, which is cram-packed with extra Britney-ness. As for the movie, director Tamra Davis (Guncrazy, Billy Madison) and writer Shonda Rhimes kept things pretty simple. Three best friends from the eighth grade grow up to be very different 18-year-olds. Lucy (Spears) is the brainy valedictorian, Kit (Zoe Saldana) is the beautiful, popular snob, and Mimi (Taryn Manning) is pregnant and living in a trailer park. Her dream has always been to see the world, and so, on the night of the girls' graduation, she invites her two now non-best friends to join her on a road trip from Georgia to Los Angeles. For various reasons they agree, and then jump into a Buick with an older boy (Anson Mount), who provides a love interest for Lucy. Like the Mandy Moore picture A Walk to Remember, Crossroads is not bad for what it is, and Britney carries herself with such ease that we can't help but be impressed that she didn't embarrass herself as Mariah Carey did in Glitter. Paramount's DVD release of Crossroads: Special Collector's Edition offers a strong anamorphic transfer (1.85:1) that complements Eric Edwards' beautiful scenic cinematography and all the gals' cute outfits, while English and French audio is in Dolby Digital 5.1. Features include a commentary with director Davis, writer Shonda Rhimes, and producer Ann Carli; the featurette "The Making of Crossroads: 40 Days with Britney" ; deleted scenes; Britney's DVD Welcome; "Break Through Britney," where we can watch the movie with little pop-up facts; the music videos "Overprotected" and "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman"; "First In Line: Inside the Crossroads Premiere"; a karoake feature; a music-video editing workshop; a photo gallery; TV spots and theatrical trailers; and "Taryn's T-Shirts," which has actress Manning and some costume lady showing us how to make Britney's t-shirt from her "I Love Rock and Roll" scene. Careful with the scissors, girls. Keep-case.
—Kim Morgan
