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  • Writer's pictureJamie Dixon

Britney vs Spears Netflix Documentary

Updated: Oct 15, 2021

Netflix Documentary Looks At The Silenced Singer

There's been a lot of noise about Britney Spears and the crazy conservatorship that she's been living under. If you have been following the situation, you already know the details. But a new Netflix documentary out September 28 by director Erin Lee Carr strives to fill 90 minutes of little-known details, little-told stories, and behind-the-scenes insider information.


Britney vs. Spears has journalist Jenny Eliscu, alongside director Carr, attempt to piece together a clear and lucid retelling of just how such a well-known pop star managed to lose authority in her own life. It's a complicated story to unravel, but compelling information from people close to Britney such as her ex-boyfriend Sam Lutfi does help to add perspective.


The biggest issue with the Netflix documentary is that there is clearly a bit of a bias to consider. Carr admits that she was a fan of Britney before the documentary. Eliscu, a Rolling Stone reporter, has been following Britney's conservatorship since 2009, only a year after it began in 2008.


They're self-professed Britney supporters, drawing together to make the documentary due to their interest in Spears. You can not safely assume either is being completely impartial as they tell her story, which is an important feature in true journalism.


However, two already made Hulu documentaries, Framing Britney Spears and Controlling Britney Spears, are more successful at leaving out the bias. And still, both manage to paint an equally depressing and concerning picture of the conservatorship as Britney vs. Spears. The conclusion is more or less the same, no matter which documentary you watch. While the Netflix narration of Spears' troubles might be a bit personal for those who worked on it, there's a fairly consistent belief that there's something quite amiss in Britney Spears' situation.


Unfortunately, Britney vs. Spears doesn't ask enough tough questions or stay hard-nosed enough to really add much to the conversation. If you're a fan of the pop star and want 90 minutes more, by all means, watch it. But you'll basically walk away knowing what you already did.


There are a lot of questions to examine in this subject matter. How did this conservatorship ever come to be? How far is Britney under its control? Why is it raising so many eyebrows, and what's really happening here?


But for clear answers to these questions, and an honest look at the conservatorship, stick to the Framing/Controlling documentaries. They draw a clear picture of the situation and do so while still maintaining journalistic integrity. It avoids the pandering of the Netflix version. And at the same time, they manage to avoid seeming as though they're capitalizing on exploiting Britney's vulnerability.


In fact, if anything, they're adding content with value. According to an article in Vulture, Spear's attorney, Mathew Rosengart, has cited information brought up in the Hulu documentary to support the removal of father Jamie Spears from the conservatory.


For example, concerns regarding Spear's communications being monitored are now finally coming out in court. This monitoring and the violation of Britney Spears' privacy became known thanks to interviews, as documented by the New York Times, director Samantha Stark, and producer Liz Day.


Britney Spears Conservatorship News, Father Removed

Britney Spears Conservatorship News, Father Removed

Dad Jamie Spears is officially off the conservatorship, as of September 29th. John Zabel is acting as the temporary conservator, until a new hearing on November 12 that might end the conservatorship completely.


Zabel is an accountant from California, who will be returning to court to give his assessment. If he testifies that Spears seems able to function without his support, the 13-year conservatorship that first began in 2008 might finally be closed.


Spears and her attorney Mathew Rosengart requested Zabel, who took over roughly $60 million in assets. The Associated Press notes that Judge Brenda Penny approved the removal of Jamie Spears as requested, calling the current situation "untenable" and "toxic."


Both Zabel and professional conservator Jodi Montgomery will be asked to speak regarding Spear's ability to manage her own affairs. Montgomery is responsible for helping Spears make decisions regarding her personal affairs. It's uncertain as of now whether Spears will be asked to undergo any psychological testing.


Britney Spears And Boyfriend Sam Asghari

Britney Spears Conservatorship News, Father Removed

If you're keeping up with Britney Spears's news, you already know about her engagement to long-time boyfriend Sam Asghari. We've pulled together all the deets out there on the web to answer any questions you have.


Their engagement was officially announced via Instagram. While they've been dating around 5 years, news of the engagement came out on Sept. 12. Asghari proposed with a ring inscribed with the word "Lioness," his nickname for Britney. The ring was designed by New York jeweler Roman Malayev.


Asghari and Spears first met in 2016. He is a model and personal trainer and moved to LA at age 12 from Tehran, Iran. He moved with his father, a truck driver.


Asghari played football in high school and in college but was eventually cut from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln team. He switched to Moorpark College in LA.


His sister talked him into modeling, he says in a Men's Health article. Sister Faye Asghari is a model. He has 3 sisters, all in the US, according to the BBC.


Asghari and Spears met on the set of her "Slumber Party" music video in 2016. He said he was chatting and making jokes with her and later slipped his number into her bag. She tells People that she found the number months later, finally calling him.


Their relationship was hinted at through the end of 2016 but became official with a 2017 New Years Day post on Instagram. Their relationship has been captured over the years since on Instagram. A March 2017 post notes both Asghari's birthday, and that his real name is Hesam.


Britney Spears Ex-Husband And Children

Britney Spears Ex-Husband And Children

Asghari is 27, and this will be his first marriage. He has no children.


Spears, 39, has been married twice before. She wed old childhood friend Jason Alexander in 2004, and the marriage was annulled soon after.


Later, Spears married Kevin Federline, also in 2004. She had two children - sons Sean and Jayden, who are 16 and 15 currently. She was 24 when Sean was born on September 14, 2005. Jayden was born less than a year later, on September 12, 2006.


Spears has about 30% custody of her two children, though she usually keeps her time with her kids private. Federline has them the rest of the time. The marriage ended in July 2007.



For more on entertainment, see:


What's Streaming On Netflix? October

Kanye West: Donda Album Review



Jamie Dixon is a contributing writer here at The Pyrrhic. She's a content writer by profession, but this is more fun. She's also working on her first novel in her spare time.


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