The US network Lifetime has made several cruddy biopics in its time, like 2011’s Will & Kate: The Movie, a corny dramatisation of the relationship between the royal couple, and 2014’s The Brittany Murphy Story, which was criticised for its ham-fisted dramatisation of her death. But the same year’s Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B is the most notoriously rubbish of the lot. In its D– review, The A.V. Club wrote: “Shipp’s performance is inoffensive, but no more than that, and what little of Aaliyah’s music makes it to the final film does so in the form of tinny covers that do Aaliyah’s musical legacy no favours.”
The same could probably be said for Britney Ever After, the madly inaccurate and unflattering portrait of one of music’s contemporary legends, Britney Spears. The cast look nothing like their real-life counterparts, the costumes are all over the shop, and it generally looks like it was made on a budget of about £32. But don’t just take our word for it – listen to the issues cited by fans who watched it live on Saturday (February 18).
1. There were more errors than you could count
me when someone asks me how many errors were in the #BritneyEverAfter biopic pic.twitter.com/tdvmZVsAAu
— ? (@LyricalBritney) February 19, 2017
There wasn't iPhones back in the early 2000s? like come on lifetime ??♀️ #BritneyEverAfter
— madeline ♡ (@madddiiemora) February 19, 2017
2. Britney didn’t even look like Britney
First off. They could have at least got someone who looks like Britney #britneyeverafter
— christmas & chill ☃️?❄ (@Yo_its_Kaelyn) February 19, 2017
Lifetime has to fire the whole casting department. This girl looks more like Lisa kudrow #britneyeverafter
— ?Sunset Boulevardez? (@Kissesfromdes) February 19, 2017
2. And JT didn’t look like JT
So… I guess that's supposed to be Justin Timberlake. #britneyeverafter pic.twitter.com/wVS82PLXCr
— Bella Cigno ? (@IsabellaCigno) February 19, 2017
(This is their JT, by the way, in their N*Sync)
lmao this is N*Sync. Lifetime, I love you so much pic.twitter.com/RHepNZiy7V
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) December 1, 2016
3. They ruined her MTV VMA 2000 performance
What kind of Dollar General version of this iconic moment???? #BritneyEverAfter pic.twitter.com/NtOWRxClDc
— tonya hardings crispy bangs (@amdeeeeeee) February 19, 2017
You DO NOT ruin her iconic 2000 VMA performance. I'm done #BritneyEverAfter
— Lindsay (@lindshastude) February 19, 2017
4. Even the outfits were inaccurate
THEY DIDN'T EVEN GET THESE OUTFITS RIGHT. I'M PISSED. THESE ARE ICONIC. THIS WAS THE ONE THING THEY SHOULD'VE GOTTEN RIGHT #britneyeverafter pic.twitter.com/Bcfo7Q8G42
— ?Sunset Boulevardez? (@Kissesfromdes) February 19, 2017
The budget on this @lifetimetv biopic of @britneyspears must have been $43.82, or else this is #AlternativeFacts Britney.#britneyeverafter pic.twitter.com/Lwi0j0RXHK
— Dennis DePew (@DennisDePew) February 19, 2017
5. It was full of horrendous crap
Who lit this movie #britneyeverafter and why does he hate women?
— Sarah Michelle (@SarahMGellar) February 19, 2017
I AM SCREAMING #BritneyEverAfter pic.twitter.com/5KzslfNCv3
— Vinny! Vinnie! Vinnè! (@vsavag2) February 19, 2017
Britney Spears & Justin Timberlake should sue Lifetime for this trash #BritneyEverAfter
— Britney Pop Icon (@Britney_PopIcon) February 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/jumpedtrains/status/833206843551870976
6. But after a while it just became laughable
#BritneyEverAfter Classic lol ?????????. HerTextTho pic.twitter.com/h97s4am9rO
— LeeshaJay (@MissLeesha1) February 19, 2017
Lifetime's heinous Britney Spears movie gave us 2017's most (unintentionally) hilarious moment: Britney & Justin's post-breakup dance off pic.twitter.com/q6vAvD9BtK
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) February 20, 2017
7. It was hella cheap
I did a photo shoot with Britney Spears once that had a bigger budget than this Lifetime mess #BritneyEverAfter
— My Feet on Fleek (@myfeetonfleek) February 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/HeirToTheCowl_/status/833897855702200321
8. There wasn’t nearly enough Britney music
It's really sad that Lifetime is making this entire movie about Britney chasing men. Not about her music or her career #BritneyEverAfter pic.twitter.com/Ujmo09o1uG
— ε₫ω¡η (@EdwinJArocho) February 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/Casey0neill/status/833120851973304321
"Let's not talk about the song we don't have the rights to." #BritneyEverAfter
— Alaska Thunderfuck (@Alaska5000) February 19, 2017
9. The big question, though, is this:
Why couldn't Lifetime just leave Britney alone?! #BritneyEverAfter ???
— Hey Jess Hey ??♀️ (@_jawwaj_) February 19, 2017