Bringemovies
← Browse Movies
Controlling Britney Spears
TITLE DETAILS

Controlling Britney Spears

2021-09-24 · 70 min · ★ 7.6

Documentary

Britney Spears has said that her conservatorship had become “an oppressive and controlling tool against her”. This New York Times investigation reveals much of how it worked, including an intense surveillance apparatus that monitored every move she made.

Open detail page

Trailers are previews, not full movies.

No authorized playback source configured. Use the legal watch options below.

Production details

Directors
Samantha Stark
Production companies
Left/Right, The New York Times
Countries
United States of America
Status
Released

Top Cast

Liz DaySelf
Felicia CulottaFelicia CulottaSelf
Britney SpearsBritney SpearsSelf (archive footage)
Dan GeorgeSelf
Tish YatesSelf
Alex VlasovSelf
Jamie SpearsSelf (archive Footage)
David LettermanDavid LettermanSelf (archive Audio)

Title information and images are supplied by TMDb. Explore our discovery guide for advice on comparing metadata and legal viewing options.

Where to watch

Availability provided by JustWatch via TMDb. Offers can change. Provider links are listed on TMDb; full playback requires a separately authorized source.

Availability not listed for this country.

Recommendations

Framing Britney Spears
★ 7.1
Framing Britney Spears2021Documentary

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.

Whitney
★ 7.3
Whitney2018Documentary

Examines the life and career of singer Whitney Houston. Features never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive recordings, rare performances and interviews with the people who knew her best.

Miss Americana
★ 7.8
Miss Americana2020Documentary

A raw and emotionally revealing look at one of the most iconic artists of our time during a transformational period in her life as she learns to embrace her role not only as a songwriter and performer, but as a woman harnessing the full power of her voice.

Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated
★ 7.6
Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated2017Documentary

A personal and intimate look into Demi Lovato's life as not only a regular 25 year old, but also one of the biggest pop stars in the world.

I Am: Celine Dion
★ 7.6
I Am: Celine Dion2024Documentary

A raw and honest behind-the-scenes look at the iconic superstar's struggle with a life-altering illness. Serving as a love letter to her fans, this inspirational documentary highlights the music that has guided her life while also showcasing the resilience of the human spirit.

John Candy: I Like Me
★ 7.9
John Candy: I Like Me2025Documentary

Those who knew iconic funnyman John Candy best share his story, in their own words, through never-before-seen archival footage, imagery, and interviews.

Altman
★ 6.6
Altman2014Documentary

Robert Altman's life and career contained multitudes. This father of American independent cinema left an indelible mark, not merely on the evolution of his art form, but also on the western zeitgeist. With its use of rare interviews, representative film clips, archival images, and musings from his family and most recognizable collaborators, Altman is a dynamic and heartfelt mediation on an artist whose expression, passion and appetite knew few bounds.

The Greatest Night in Pop
★ 7.9
The Greatest Night in Pop2024Documentary

On a January night in 1985, music's biggest stars gathered to record "We Are the World." This documentary goes behind the scenes of the historic event.

Sidney
★ 6.9
Sidney2022Documentary

This revealing documentary honors the legendary Sidney Poitier—iconic actor, filmmaker, and civil rights activist. Featuring interviews with Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Halle Berry, and more.

The U.S. vs. John Lennon
★ 6.6
The U.S. vs. John Lennon2006Documentary

A documentary on the life of John Lennon, with a focus on the time in his life when he transformed from a musician into an antiwar activist.

Thriller 40
★ 8.7
Thriller 402023Documentary

Forty years after the release of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller,’ the best-selling album of all-time, director Nelson George takes fans back in time to the making of a pop masterpiece, featuring never-before-seen footage and candid interviews.

Selena y Los Dinos: A Family's Legacy
★ 8.9
Selena y Los Dinos: A Family's Legacy2025Documentary

Never-before-seen footage and intimate interviews celebrate the life and legacy of iconic Mexican American singer Selena Quintanilla and her family band.

Jane Fonda in Five Acts
★ 7.1
Jane Fonda in Five Acts2018Documentary

Girl next door, activist, so-called traitor, fitness tycoon, Oscar winner: Jane Fonda has lived a life of controversy, tragedy and transformation – and she’s done it all in the public eye. An intimate look at one woman’s singular journey.

Maria by Callas
★ 7.4
Maria by Callas2017Documentary

Told through performances, TV interviews, home movies, family photographs, private letters and unpublished memoirs, the film reveals the essence of an extraordinary woman who rose from humble beginnings in New York City to become a glamorous international superstar and one of the greatest artists of all time.

Pavarotti
★ 7.3
Pavarotti2019Documentary

Featuring never-before-seen footage, concert performances and intimate interviews, filmmaker Ron Howard examines the life and career of famed opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

Spielberg
★ 7.5
Spielberg2017Documentary

A documentary on the life and career of one of the most influential film directors of all time, Steven Spielberg.

STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie
★ 7.8
STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie2023Documentary

A short kid from a Canadian army base becomes the international pop culture darling of the 1980s—only to find the course of his life altered by a stunning diagnosis. What happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease?

I Am Not Your Negro
★ 7.7
I Am Not Your Negro2017Documentary

Working from the text of James Baldwin’s unfinished final novel, director Raoul Peck creates a meditation on what it means to be Black in the United States.

Marvel's Behind the Mask
★ 7.0
Marvel's Behind the Mask2021Documentary

A documentary special that explores the power of identity behind the iconic superheroes we know and love today. These legendary Marvel creations and stories have not only reflected the world outside our window – they have become a reflection of our own identities and who we truly are.

The Class of ‘92
★ 7.1
The Class of ‘922013Documentary

A detailing of the rise to prominence and global sporting superstardom of six supremely talented young Manchester United football players (David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Phil and Gary Neville). The film covers the period 1992-1999, culminating in Manchester United's European Cup triumph.

Similar titles

Unknown Dimension: The Story of Paranormal Activity
★ 6.6
Unknown Dimension: The Story of Paranormal Activity2021Documentary

A deep dive into the making of the Paranormal Activity films with first time ever interviews with cast and crew, never-before-seen footage from the movies, and a preview of the seventh installment in the franchise.

Olive Thomas: The Most Beautiful Girl in the World
★ 7.0
Olive Thomas: The Most Beautiful Girl in the World2003Documentary

Explores the life and death of one of the first onscreen flappers. By the time she appeared in The Flapper, she had completed more than seventeen films, but beneath the glitter of success Olive had her share of tragedy. Her death under mysterious circumstances just before her 26th birthday shocked the world.

I Refuse to Kill: He Went to War with War
Not rated
I Refuse to Kill: He Went to War with WarDocumentary

At the risk of a 5-year prison term, Francesco Da Vinci struggles with his Virginia draft board to be recognized as a sincere conscientious objector to the Vietnam war.

Keanu Reeves: Pop Messiah
★ 7.4
Keanu Reeves: Pop Messiah2022Documentary

Revealed in independant movies such as My Own Private Idaho, blockbuster movie star in Point Break and Speed, hero of the digital era in The Matrix, virtuoso killer in John Wick, Keanu Reeves is one of the most intriguous stars of his generation. However, after 25 years in the spotlight, he stays an enigma whose chaotic career seems to go on without a guilding principle. Today, nobody could question his unique status as he reluctantly became a social network icon, and a role model for the « woke » generation.

Manifesting the Mind: Footprints of the Shaman
★ 7.0
Manifesting the Mind: Footprints of the Shaman2009Documentary

In these interviews, Dennis McKenna, Alex Grey, Rick Strassman, and other champions of psychedelics share their views on the value of psychedelic medicine, and its neglect in Western society.

Entretien politique : Histoire et mode d'emploi
★ 7.0
Entretien politique : Histoire et mode d'emploi2020Documentary

Queen: Rock the World
★ 7.9
Queen: Rock the World2017Documentary

In 1977, BBC music presenter Bob Harris was given exclusive and extensive access to the Queen. Conducting insightful interviews with all four band members as well as filming them at work in the studio as they were planning and rehearsing their forthcoming North American Tour, and then following them as they performed across the US, Bob captured a band attempting to replicate their huge domestic success on the global stage. To mark the 40th anniversary of the release of the News of the World album, the footage has now been carefully restored and revisited to compile this hour-long portrait of a group setting out to take the next step on their remarkable journey to becoming one of the biggest bands on the planet.

The Nose - Searching for Blamage
★ 5.0
The Nose - Searching for Blamage2013Documentary

Perfumer Alessandro Gualtieri wants to design his new perfume Blamage by abandoning all rules for designing perfumes. This proves a disruptive process, especially for himself. Will Blamage become a Blamage?

Takovej barevnej vocas letící komety
Not rated
Takovej barevnej vocas letící komety2015Documentary

A feature-length distribution documentary about Filip Topol, composer, lyricist, pianist, singer and fighter of the group Psí vojáci, whose work has struck three generations.

Poster unavailable
Not rated
A Lady Named Baybie1980Documentary

A documentary on Baybie Hoover, a blind New York street musician.

Vampire Island
★ 6.0
Vampire Island2010Documentary

This investigative documentary follows a team of archaeologists searching for the hard evidence behind chilling vampire myths, from the discovery of bodies staked into their coffins on the island of Lesbos to the New England vampires who died from tuberculosis.

In Search of Darkness: 1990-1994
★ 8.0
In Search of Darkness: 1990-19942024Documentary

Film icons and genre experts share observations, experiences, and analysis to help reframe, deconstruct, and re-contextualize the "lost" decade of horror: the '90s.

Poster unavailable
★ 6.7
Beyond Bollywood2013Documentary

Documentary following four artists working behind the scenes as a part of the world's fastest growing film industry.

Η Ελληνίδα Μαρια Κάλλας
★ 10.0
Η Ελληνίδα Μαρια Κάλλας2007Documentary

The documentary "The Greek Maria Callas", directed by Tassos Psarras, broadcast by ERT1 on Saturday, September 23, 2017, at 13:20, focuses on the Greek period of Callas and the visits to Greece from 1957 until her death .

Max Steiner: Maestro of Movie Music
★ 7.6
Max Steiner: Maestro of Movie Music2019Documentary

A look at the life and work of the Austrian composer who pioneered the musical scoring of films - hundreds of them - from King Kong, to Gone with the Wind, to Casablanca and beyond.

Poster unavailable
Not rated
This Temporal World2022Documentary

A haunting story of the FBI's dark hand in American life. In 2015, Khalil Abu-Rayyan was just a young Muslim man in Detroit, Michigan: to get by, he delivered food for his family's pizzeria. Depressed and lonely, Khalil found solace in smoking weed and looking at extremist material online. Then two young women started messaging him, and he fell in love. But one of them suggested he start doing increasingly violent things. Nothing was as it seemed. And Khalil's life would never be the same. A documentary by Garret Harkawik for the Gravel Institute.

McCarthy
★ 8.0
McCarthy2020Documentary

"McCarthy" chronicles the rise and fall of Joseph McCarthy, the Wisconsin senator who came to power after a stunning victory in an election no one thought he could win. Once in office, he declared that there was a vast conspiracy threatening America — emanating not from a rival superpower, but from within. Free of restraint or oversight, he conducted a crusade against those he accused of being enemies of the state, a chilling campaign marked by groundless accusations, bullying intimidation, grandiose showmanship and cruel victimization. With lawyer Roy Cohn at his side, he belittled critics, spinning a web of lies and distortions while spreading fear and confusion. After years in the headlines, he was brought down by his own excesses and overreach. But his name lives on linked to the modern-day witch hunt we call “McCarthyism.”

So Help Me God
★ 7.3
So Help Me God2018Documentary

Some 20 years ago, two sex workers were murdered in an upper-class Brussels neighborhood. Celebrated Belgian magistrate Anne Gurwez decides to revisit this cold case, pouring over the evidence with the use of new technologies and tracking down then-suspects.

Attila
★ 5.0
Attila2020Documentary

This sports documentary goes behind the scenes in the world of mixed martial arts while chronicling the life story of MMA champion Attila Végh.

Edgar Morin, chronique d'un regard
★ 6.5
Edgar Morin, chronique d'un regard2015Documentary

Your favorites

Recently viewed

Watch

Choose an authorized server.

Full video from an operator-configured authorized source. Official trailers use a separate player. If a server fails, retry or select another authorized server.

Legal watch options

Official trailer

Trailer preview only. Press Play to start.

Privacy choices

Favorites stay in your browser. Movie images load from TMDb. YouTube trailers contact YouTube only after you allow external media and choose a trailer. Advertising consent, if ads are enabled, is managed separately by the operator’s certified CMP.

Privacy policy

After allowing external media, choose the trailer button to load its player.