Common Sense Media Review
Britney's road movie has mature themes; rape, drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Crossroads
What's the Story?
In CROSSROADS, Britney Spears plays Lucy, who finds herself feeling empty as she prepares for her high school graduation. She's achieved all of her father's dreams for her, graduating as valedictorian and preparing to enroll in a rigorous premed program. And she's about to fulfill someone else's dream, too: She's agreed to have sex with her lab partner so that they can go to college and not be ostracized as virgins. But she can't go through with it, because it isn't special enough. When her estranged, pregnant friend Mimi (Taryn Manning) offers her a ride to Los Angeles, Lucy impulsively accepts. So does a third estranged friend, the engaged prom queen Kit (Zoe Saldana), who wants to go to L.A. to see her boyfriend. During the trip, everyone learns some important lessons, and the three wishes made by the girls when they were 8 and swore to be lifelong friends turn out to be not exactly what they had in mind. But they learn that their friendship was more than they had expected and that not knowing exactly what their dreams are might make life more interesting.
Is It Any Good?
We have some bad news for Britney fans: Crossroads isn't very good. It doesn't seem to know who its target audience is; when the film came out in 2002, the pop star's core followers would have been around 8–14 years old. The movie's darker subject matter -- like rape, pregnancy loss, and absentee parents -- is too mature for that age group. But for the adults those kids grew up to be, the film lacks the originality or depth necessary to hold their attention. Its biggest fault is not having a clear idea of who it's talking to. Given the film's focus on young women who aren't sure of who they are yet, Crossroads certainly drags viewers along with its confused, half-formed journey.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why it was so difficult for Lucy to talk to her father in Crossroads. In the face of his high expectations, was taking off on a road trip to find her mom the best way to act? What are other ways she might have resolved their issues?
Why do you think Kit was so focused on getting married? After breaking things off with Dylan, what do you think she'll do next? What will Lucy and Mimi do next?
How did Lucy decide that she was ready to have sex for the first time? What are the signs to look out for when making the decision to be intimate with someone? What makes a situation feel safe enough to engage in sexual activities?
How do you think the film handled Mimi's story arc? What about Kit's? Were their friends and family supportive enough? Did the movie give adequate space to respectfully explore the traumatic events it brought up, such as rape, bullying, fat-shaming, miscarriage, etc.?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 15, 2002
- On DVD or streaming : July 23, 2002
- Cast : Britney Spears , Taryn Manning , Zoe Saldana , Anson Mount
- Director : Tamra Davis
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s) , Black Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Paramount Pictures
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Friendship
- Run time : 93 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sexual references and situations and teen drinking
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate