Tech / Technology

The best movies on Peacock for when you need some wild fun

Posted on:

From Harry Potter to Fast & Furious and “Bridesmaids,” Peacock has the hits you need to see (again).

Some days, it feels like there are too many streaming services and too many options. How can you possibly choose what movie to watch next?

For those of you who have Peacock (and why wouldn’t you? Their TV offerings are stacked!), we’re here to help. We’ve combed through the streaming service’s catalog to bring you the funniest comedies, the most moving dramas, the most suspenseful thrillers, and the all-around best movies for your viewing pleasure. All you need to bring is the popcorn!

1. Asteroid City

Jason Schwartzman and Tom Hanks talk on the phone in "Asteroid City."


Credit: Focus Features

The most “Wes Anderson” of Anderson’s prolific and twee oeuvre, Asteroid City is not for everyone. If you’ve never found meaning in the stylistic artifice of an Anderson film, then you might feel similarly baffled here. But if Anderson’s whimsy has spoken to you in the past, then take comfort knowing this most recent offering might be his most intricate and affecting film to date. 

Existential and gentle, Asteroid City is a movie about a show about a play, a nesting doll artistic endeavor keenly interested in the nature of storytelling. Is it about an alien encounter in a fictional desert town or the playwright and actors who brought the fictional desert town to life? Or is it about Anderson himself, an explainer on his hyper-specific body of work? The answer is all of this and more. Asteroid City is a fanciful, emotional triumph, popping off the screen with vibrant technicolor and a stacked cast of familiar faces and vibrant newcomers. A must-see film for Anderson-fans. — Kristina Grosspietsch, Freelance Contributing Writer

How to watch: Asteroid City is now streaming on Peacock.

2. Bridesmaids

Wendi McLendon-Covey, Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Ellie Kemper in "Bridesmaids"


Credit: Suzanne Hanover / Universal / Kobal / Shutterstock

If you haven’t seen Bridesmaids, written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, we’re so sorry that you’ve obviously been trapped in a siren’s cave for the last 11 years — because there is simply no other excuse. Bridesmaids was an era-defining film. In 2011, there were still prominent male comedians claiming women couldn’t be funny! Bridesmaids put an end to the debate.

Wiig stars as Annie, a wayward thirtysomething who feels out of step with her best friend Lillian (a perfect Maya Rudolph) when she meets the other women in Lillian’s bridal party. What follows is both romantic comedy and buddy flick, stuffed to the brim with punchlines, physical gags, and a repulsive and unforgettable gross-out scene. The entire cast here is flawless: Rose Byrne is delightfully haughty. Jon Hamm is perfect as a hot idiot. Chris O’Dowd is a swoon-worthy love interest, and Melissa McCarthy was nominated for a dang Oscar for her scene-stealing performance as another misfit bridesmaid. Please escape the siren’s cave and see this legendary comedy — for your own good! — K.G.

How to watch: Bridesmaids is streaming on Peacock.

3. John Wick

Keanu Reeves in "John Wick."


Credit: David Lee / Thunder Road / Lionsgate / 87eleven / Mjw / Summit / Kobal / Shutterstock

Currently, all John Wick properties, including the so-so prequel series, The Continental, are streaming on Peacock. This highly stylized and violent neo-noir thriller franchise tells the story of John Wick (Keanu Reeves), the best assassin there ever was, who gets drawn back into the underworld after a personal tragedy leaves him set on revenge. Wick’s body count is prodigious and creative, but his cause is just. You can’t help but root for the quiet, brooding antihero. He wanted out of the game — but the game won’t let him say goodbye that easily. John Wick is a nonstop action spectacular with stunning cinematogaphy and positively mesmerizing fight choreography. — K.G.

How to watch: John Wick is now streaming on Peacock.

4. The Outfit

Mark Rylance and Zoey Deutch in "The Outfit."


Credit: Focus Features

This cleverly twisted crime film was written and directed by Graham Moore, who won an Oscar for his adapted screenplay of The Imitation Game in 2015. The incomparable Mark Rylance stars as a soft-spoken British tailor who makes beautiful, bespoke men’s suits in 1950s Chicago. Unfortunately, most of his clientele are ruthless mobsters. The majority of the movie takes place in the span of one shocking and breathless night when his gangster clients seek shelter in the shop after an unexpected shootout from a rival organization.

The Outfit is a sophisticated and constantly surprising thriller. As Rylance’s assistant, Zoey Deutch is as charming as always, and Johnny Flynn thrives while playing against type as a no-good ’50s gangster. It’s an absolute gem of a film that will keep you guessing the whole way through. — K.G.

How to watch: The Outfit is streaming on Peacock.

5. Dayveon 

Kordell Johnson, Devin Blackmon in "Dayveon"


Credit: Mama Bear Studios / Kobal / Shutterstock

Devin Blackmon stars as Dayveon, a young kid in Arkansas struggling in the aftermath of his brother’s death. Unmoored and spending his days listlessly wandering the little town he lives in, he is increasingly drawn to the sense of belonging he finds in a local gang. Directed by Amman Abbasi, with a script by Abbasi and Steven Reneau, Dayveon is a sophisticated and deeply intimate film made even more incredible by the fact that its cast is primarily composed of non-actors. It’s a moving and beautifully shot story that feels wholly, heartbreakingly real. — K.G.

How to watch: Dayveon is streaming on Peacock.

6. Girls Trip

Tiffany Haddish in "Girls Trip."


Credit: Michele K Short / Universal / Kobal / Shutterstock

2017’s raunchy comedy about a group of friends traveling to New Orleans for the Essence Music Festival made Tiffany Haddish a household name. And once you watch the scene of her zip-lining above a partying crowd on Bourbon Street, you’ll know why. Written by Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver, Girls Trip is boisterous, outrageous, and ridiculously lovable. The jubilant cast, starring Haddish, Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Queen Latifah, is clearly having so much fun celebrating female debauchery, it’s hard not to be on board with Girls Trip.K.G.

How to watch: Girls Trip is now streaming on Peacock.

7. Trainwreck

Amy Schumer, Bill Hader in "Trainwreck"


Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

The mid-2010s brought us ombre hair, planking, and #YOLO, but its most enduring cultural addition was a wave of movies about imperfect women. More female-led films at the box office meant there was finally enough space for leading ladies who didn’t have to meet every standard to which we hold the modern women. Movie theaters were flooded with bad moms, antiheroines, and the sloppiest drunks you’ve ever seen in your life. Enter Trainwreck, a hilarious and irreverent rom-com directed by Judd Apatow and starring Amy Schumer in a role that’s basically her hot mess stand-up persona come to life.

In this hysterical comedy, Schumer and Bill Hader are surprisingly charming together as opposites attract. Plus, John Cena and LeBron James both add an unexpected sparkle to a fun and cheeky romance. — K.G.

How to watch: Trainwreck is streaming on Peacock.

8. Ip Man

Donnie Yen in "IP Man 3."


Credit: Dreams Salon Culture / Pegasus Motion / Kobal / Shutterstock

Ip Man is an exciting Hong Kong martial arts biopic about the extraordinary life of the Wing Chun grandmaster who was Bruce Lee’s martial arts teacher. The film tracks Ip Man’s journey from the Southern Chinese village where he was well known as a skilled martial artist to his family’s displacement during the Japanese occupation of the Second Sino-Japanese War, his eventual rise as a fighter, and his establishment of a school in Hong Kong.

Starring the skillful Donnie Yen, Ip Man doesn’t skimp on character development; it’s an electrifying rumination on philosophy, power, and honor in addition to its stunning action. Ip Man is a deeply influential film in the martial arts genre and, to everyone’s delight, has inspired three equally stirring sequels, all of which are available on Peacock. — K.G.

How to watch: Ip Man is streaming on Peacock.

9. Harry Potter (the entire series!)

And now the franchise that needs no introduction: Harry Potter. The original eight-movie series starts as a charming coming-of-age tale about a boy wizard learning about magic and ends as a serious and emotional allegory about fighting fascism and the lengths we will go to protect the people we love. J.K. Rowling notwithstanding, Harry Potter is our hero, Ron Weasley our goofy best friend, and Hermione our actual hero, because duh.

The quality of the movies vary based on the different directors at the helm and the age of the young leads, but the strength of the source material — paired with the prodigious gifts of the many, many storied British actors who fill out the sparkling supporting cast — assure a satisfying watch. Most agree that the final two movies, each covering half of the last book in the series, are the most enthralling in the group — but you’ll have to watch them all to get what’s going on. So, you might as well start with number one, The Sorcerer’s Stone, and go from there. Poor you! You’re about to have a really great time! — K.G.

How to watch: Harry Potter is streaming on Peacock.

10. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Henry Thomas in "E.T."


Credit: Patrick Rideaux / Shutterstock

You haven’t seen E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, yet? So you’ve been politely laughing along every time someone has said “E.T. phone home” for the last 50 years?! It’s time to get on it already. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a beloved family movie classic for a reason — it’s simply fantastic.

Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece tells the story of Elliott Turner, a 10-year-old who finds an alien in his backyard. With his siblings, he must help his new friend get back home or risk his being turned over to the government. It’s an exciting, heartwarming adventure that makes you feel like a kid again and inspired a half-century of copycats and homages (Stranger Things, anyone?). Despite being filmed five decades ago, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial has not lost an ounce of its charm and emotional punch, a testament to its enduring quality. If you haven’t seen it, put E.T. at the top of your queue, immediately. — K.G. 

How to watch: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is now streaming on Peacock.

11. Long Way North

This absolutely stunning, hand-drawn film hasn’t garnered as much attention as, say, Pixar’s latest, but that’s no reason to skip this immensely affecting French-Danish tale. Sasha (Christa Théret) is a 15-year-old aristocrat living in 19th-century St. Petersburg, Russia. Determined to find her missing grandfather, a famed explorer, and clear her family’s name, she locates a vessel and sets off with a motley crew into the unforgiving Arctic landscape.

Directed by Rémi Chayé, Long Way North is both an epic adventure and a human drama, exploring themes of empowerment and empathy. What truly makes this 80-minute movie special, though, is its unique artistic style. The snow-covered landscape might be stark, but Long Way North makes the icy world feel both beautiful and alive. — K.G.

How to Watch: Long Way North is streaming on Peacock.

12. Melancholia

Part of Lars von Trier’s “Depression Trilogy,” (which includes Antichrist and Nymphomaniac), 2011’s Melancholia is an artsy, atmospheric sci-fi thriller about the end of the world. A rogue planet is due to collide with Earth, and everyone must come face-to-face with the inevitable nothingness ahead of them. The cast is magnetic (Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgård, and more) and the cinematography is unforgettable. A memorable, piercing rumination on grief that stands alone in its category. — K.G.

How to watch: Melancholia is now streaming on Peacock.

13. Back to the Future

Michael J. Fox in "Back to the Future."


Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

There’s no way you haven’t heard of 1985’s Back to the Future, the comedy science fiction romp — and honest-to-god American classic — that made the world fall in love with Michael J. Fox. Fox is Marty McFly, a bored teenager who befriends an eccentric scientist (Christopher Lloyd) and finds himself transported to the 1950s, where his presence threatens to wreak havoc on the future. Marty has to make sure his parents still fall in love, or he’ll be wiped from history forever. It’s a fantastic premise that somehow never feels absurd thanks to the Fox’s aching humanity and Lloyd’s charisma. From the very first utterance of “Great Scott!” we’re along for the ride on a journey where we won’t need roads. — K.G.

How to watch: Back to the Future is now streaming on Peacock.

14. Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Jason Segel in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."


Credit: Apatow Productions / Kobal / Shutterstock

Jason Segel is Peter, a television soundtrack composer whose life revolves around his TV star girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (a deliciously bratty Kristen Bell). That is, until she abruptly breaks up with him. While he’s naked. Cue the full-frontal sobbing!

To get his mind off of her, Peter takes a trip to Hawaii, but turns out, Sarah is vacationing at the same resort with her new rock star boyfriend, Aldous Snow (unfortunately played by Russell Brand). Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a sweet and raunchy breakup rom-com full of characters that are flawed, idiosyncratic, and incredibly human, including Mila Kunis as Peter’s cool new love interest and Paul Rudd as a hippie-dippie surf instructor. And let’s not forget the singing vampire puppets! — K.G.

How to Watch: Forgetting Sarah Marshall is streaming on Peacock.

15. Emma

A sumptuous and charming adaptation of the Jane Austen novel, 2020’s Emma is unique among Emma iterations because it leans into a secret truth: the heroine, Emma Woodhouse, is kind of a brat. She floats above everyone else, pulling strings to set up matches that serve her purposes instead of what her friends actually desire. Clueless always understood this — and now, thanks to director Autumn de Wilde, we can watch the naive and loveably self-centered character face her comeuppance while sporting the dazzling Regency-era costumes she was made for. Anya Taylor-Joy hits all the right notes as Ms. Woodhouse herself, and Johnny Flynn is magnetic as Mr. Knightley, her prickly neighbor who sees through her act. But it’s Josh O’Connor as a delightfully offputting Mr. Elton, a nightmare suitor, who steals every scene he’s in. — K.G.

How to watch: Emma is now streaming on Peacock.

16. Frankenstein

Most of pop culture’s most enduring monsters — Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, and the Wolf Man/Werewolf — got their first screen time in Universal Studios films made between the 1930s and 1950s. These incredibly influential classic horrors are the reason we all picture a square-headed Frankenstein and a Dracula with an indulgently high collar. The first impression is the one that sticks. 

Peacock is still home to most of the Universal Classic Monsters, including The Bride of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man Returns, Werewolf of London, Phantom of the Opera, and more. None are as iconic, however, as 1931’s Frankenstein, starring Boris Karloff as Dr. Frankenstein’s monster. The story, adapted from Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, is one so well-known it does not need repeating, but if you were wondering where the almost-full century of film and TV jokes about little girls befriending villains came from, look no further. This is the movie that turned a monster into a legend. — K.G.

How to watch: Frankenstein is now streaming on Peacock.

17. Man on Wire

In 1974, Philippe Petit walked a high wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center in NYC. Petit was later arrested for the stunt. In 2008, documentarian James Marsh made Man On Wire, a moving, awe-inspiring chronicle of Petit’s audacious feat, based on Petit’s own book about the event. Suspenseful, mischievous, and paced like a heist movie, Man On Wire is a riveting watch sure to keep even the most ardent documentary-avoider on the edge of their seats. — K.G.

How to watch: Man on Wire is now streaming on Peacock.

18. How to Train Your Dragon

Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) doesn’t quite fit into his dragon-fighting viking village of Berk. The seasoned warriors, including his father, the chief (Gerard Butler), think he’s too much of a weenie to fight their fearsome dragon enemies. But Hiccup has a secret: He’s found a wounded dragon who has quickly become his best friend. Will his village change its mind about dragons, or will Hiccup and his dragon be forced to hide for the rest of their lives? It’s a fun family romp that makes the incredibly smart choice of giving dragons the eager, earnest personalities of everyone’s favorite family dog. It doesn’t matter how old you are, Dreamworks’ How to Train Your Dragon is a total treat! — K.G.

How to watch: How to Train Your Dragon is now streaming on Peacock.

19. Traffic

The movie that won Steven Soderbergh the Academy Award for Best Director, Traffic is a complex, captivating exploration of drug trafficking in the USA and Mexico. Following multiple intersecting storylines, audiences watch the effects of illegal drugs ripple in all directions, from manufacturers and distributors to the politicians trying to combat them and the users who are hooked. Shot like a documentary and including multiple cameos from actual U.S. congresspeople, Traffic is a riveting, powerful piece that feels utterly real. 

What’s more, the cast is stellar, with Michael Douglas, Don Cheadle, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Luis Guzmán all at the top of their game, and Benicio Del Toro in particular winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a Mexican police officer. — K.G.

How to watch: Traffic is now streaming on Peacock.

20. The Northman 

Alexander Skarsgård plays a viking in "The Northman."

Alexander Skarsgård plays a viking in “The Northman.”
Credit: Focus Features

Written and directed by Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse), The Northman is a dark, suspenseful retelling of a Scandinavian myth that also happens to have been the direct inspiration for Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Alexander Skarsgård is Amleth, a young prince who swears revenge after his uncle murders his father and marries his mother. Years later, now a berserker Viking, Amleth has an encounter with a seer that convinces him the time to collect on that childhood promise is nigh. 

The Northman is a tense, atmospheric, and brutal historical thriller, told as if it were a story recounted around a medieval Scandinavian fire, grounded in an ancient point of view. This visually-stunning but bloody revenge saga also stars Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Gustav Lindh, Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, and Björk, obviously.*K.G.

How to watch: The Northman is now streaming on Peacock.

21. Point Break

Point Break is an iconic and insane ’90s movie in which Keanu Reeves plays rookie FBI agent Johnny Utah, who has to — and we’re not kidding here — infiltrate an L.A. “surf gang” suspected of robbing banks. Very little in this movie makes any sense (the large reason Utah is assigned the undercover role is because he used to play football in college?), which is exactly why it’s so dang wonderful. You’ve got Patrick Swayze as the enigmatic leader of a surfing cult, Gary Busey as Reeves’ gruff veteran partner, and again, Keanu Reeves plays a former college football star named Johnny Utah who has to learn to surf as a matter of life and death. Point Break is ludicrous, magnificent, and fantastically, perfectly ’90s. Vaya con dios, baby. — K.G.

How to watch: Point Break is now streaming on Peacock.

22. Fast X

Jason Momoa is the villain of "Fast X."


Credit: Peter Mountain / Universal Pictures

If loving Fast & Furious is wrong, we don’t want to be right. Across 11 bonkers movies that scoffed at physics and grunted about the importance of family, this franchise hasn’t slowed down. Not only has it raised the bar on out-of-this-world action, but also, it’s grown the Fast family by leaps, bounds, and long-lost siblings. So what could Fast X possibly do to keep this momentum going strong? It went hard in every way fans demand.

In the tradition of its predecessors, Fast X retcons to bring a new ferocious foe into the fray. Jason Momoa stars as the flamboyant, fashion-forward, and gleefully anarchistic Dante, who’s seeking revenge against Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and all of his extensive family. Momoa is wild fun as a villain who is Dom’s polar opposite in attitude and outfit choices. That alone is enough to enjoy this ride. But Fast X also includes gonzo fight scenes with the likes of Brie Larson, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham, Sung Kang, and many, many more. There are also jaw-dropping cameos and a climax that had fans shocked and cheering. The only thing not to like about this one is how it left us hanging, waiting for whatever Fast and Furious 11 might bring.* — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor

How to watch: Fast X is now streaming on Peacock.

(*) denotes writeup came from a previous Mashable list.

UPDATE: Oct. 31, 2023, 2:18 p.m. EDT This article has been updated to reflect Peacock’s current streaming selection.

Tech / Technology

Why is Michelle Williams narrating Britney Spears’s audiobook?

Posted on:

Michelle Williams is the narrator for the audiobook version of Britney Spears’s memoir “The Woman in Me,” and it’s the best way to experience this new book.
Michelle Williams and Britney Spears at red carpet events.

On its surface, it seems absurd that five-time Academy Award-nominee Michelle Williams is the narrator for the audiobook version of Britney Spears’s new memoir The Woman in Me. Already the internet is giddy over audio excerpts in which Williams, in a cool and collected tone, imitates Justin Timberlake’s try-hard ’00s patter of “Oh yeah, fo’ shizz fo’ shizz.” And rightly so. It’s magic.

More than that, it’s the kind of cultural collision that seems so inexplicable that you might expect it to be a joke, like when AI was used to make the long-dead Johnny Cash do a rendition of “Barbie Girl.” But there’s something slyly sophisticated about selecting Williams to be the voice of Britney’s story. She brings a protective layer to a tale that could feel too tabloid-y in the wrong hands, as well as the natural versatility of a stage and screen actor called to switch between characters as needed. Williams takes her role as narrator as seriously as anything she’s done in her career, from Spielberg’s beloved mother in The Fablemans to the heartbreak of Brokeback Mountain or Blue Valentine. By paying respect to Spears with her performance, she urges her audience to do the same. 

What is The Woman in Me about? 


The cover of Britney Spears' "The Woman in Me."

Credit: Simon & Schuster Audio

In a nutshell, Spears’s memoir begins with her childhood in Louisiana and takes the reader through her mega-stardom in the 2000s, her 13 years under the tyrannical conservatorship of her father’s making, and into her post- #FreeBritney era. Despite the sprawl, you don’t need to be a Spears fanatic to appreciate The Woman in Me. 

Admittedly, it helps if you’ve got an embattled nostalgia for the early ’00s, when she was the unquestioned Princess of Pop with NSYNC’s Justin Timberlake as her double-denim prince. That makes passages where she recalls styles as being “so pimp” hit with a mix of cringe and whimsy. But whether you’re interested in the gossip, the Timberlake takedown, or the hype, you need to snag the audiobook rather than a physical copy. Michelle Williams demands it, with a silky smooth delivery that softens the rough edges of this managed memoir. 

How come Michelle Williams is reading the book, not Britney herself? 

Michelle Williams attends the 'Blue Valentine' photo-call during the 63rd Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2010 in Cannes, France

Michelle Williams attends the “Blue Valentine” photo-call during the 63rd Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2010 in Cannes, France
Credit: Andrea Raffin / Shutterstock

In the Audible introduction for The Woman in Me, Spears offers an author’s note, which she does read herself. The pop icon’s breathy baby voice says: 

“This book has been a labor of love and all the emotions that come with it. Reliving everything you’re about to hear has been exciting, heart-wrenching, and emotional to say the least. For those reasons, I will only be reading a small part of my audiobook. I’m so grateful to the amazing Michelle Williams, for reading the rest of it — and to you for listening.” 

Spears also reads the opening dedication and the prologue, which introduces her love of singing and her fear of her father, wrapped in a memory of her childhood. She speaks quickly and sincerely, her voice a breathy tremble. Then, Williams’s voice takes over, strong and calm: “Chapter One.” 

Though the memoir is sprinkled with name-drops (Ryan Gosling! Steven Tyler! Robin Williams!), Michelle Williams will not get another mention in The Woman in Me. Perhaps the two are friends. Maybe Williams can relate to Britney’s journey, as she too was a teen star in the same heady window of Total Request Live, boy-band dominance, and the rampant and misogynistic fat-shaming that afflicted young female celebrities. These are just a few of the explosive topics the memoir touches on, though one of the few things it doesn’t reveal is exactly how Williams came to be its voice. Regardless, whoever made the call to cast the acclaimed indie darling deserves a raise and a major award, because the book wouldn’t read the same without her. 

The Woman in Me is a clear yet captivating compromise. 

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JULY 18: Protest signs at the #FreeBritney March starting in Plummer Park on July 18, 2021 in West Hollywood, California. The group is calling for an end to the 13-year conservatorship lead by the pop star's father, Jamie Spears and Jodi Montgomery, who have control over her finances and business dealings.


Credit: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Image

When it comes to family, Spears’s memoir is raw. She opens up about her father’s allegedly abusive behavior, her ruined relationship with younger sister Jamie Lynn Spears (“a total bitch”), and the callous reprimands from her mother. As both her mother and sister have written tell-all books about her, there’s a righteous sense of reclamation in these sections.

Williams easily handles lines like “We laughed our fannies off” or “The timing was un-fucking-believable,” allowing us to hear Spears’s natural writing style and sense of humor through the actress’s measured performance. By contrast, when showering praise over past collaborators, be they photographers or music video directors, the language used feels polished by publicists — much more aware of its audience. 

While the book marks Spears officially stepping back into the spotlight, presumably on her own terms, it’s certainly a group endeavor (as opposed to her Instagram, where anything can happen). Many celebrity books have input from editors, fact-checkers, legal teams, and ghostwriters. Yet The Woman in Me feels over-managed to the extent that it’s meant to reframe her story without burning too many bridges; gratitude is expressed clearly, uncluttered by curse words or slang, but without the pop star’s singular voice behind it.

There will be no knife-dances here today, folks — just enough bite to draw a little bit of blood from sacrificial lamb Justin Timberlake. These shifts in tone can be jarring, but that’s where Williams is most effective; she’s soothing and soft while confident, lending a sort of coherence to the most PR-speak declaratives. In her hands, Britney the media-trained celebrity and Britney the giddy country momma come together into one complicated (if compromised) portrait. 

Michelle Williams demands the public take Britney seriously. 

Pop star BRITNEY SPEARS & boyfriend NSync star JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE at party in West Hollywood for the launch of NSync's new album Celebrity.


Credit: Featureflash Photo Agency

Sometimes memoirs read by the author can provide a sense of solace in their reflection; the calm tone of someone who survived the tragedy they are unfurling suggests there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. As Spears says herself in the prologue, she’s not there quite yet. So, the coolness of Williams’s reading of The Woman in Me gives consolation to the listener, completing the journey of radical acceptance that Spears is actively pursuing in the book’s final chapters. 

This is not to say that Williams is monotone or NPR-mellow throughout. Her meditative pacing speeds up as she gently imitates Timberlake or Mariah Carey or an excitable exec eager to sell Britney on his company. She hits every name-drop with a slight smile, each punchline with the hint of a smirk. But notably, Williams’s poised approach makes moments where Spears vents her (justified) anger all the more hard-hitting. “They watched Criminal Fucking Minds on the couch every night. Who does that?” Spears sneers of her parents, and Williams’s lips seem to curl in a sneer, inviting us into the outrage and hurt — as if we were more than fans or listeners but within Britney’s inner circle. 

Where Williams’s voice proves the most powerful is in the moments that tabloids will likely relish most. Spears does not shy away from spilling the tea of her exes. While Colin Farrell comes off lovely and lusty, and others go by warmly remembered but unnamed, she has plenty to say about ex-husband Kevin Federline (“bless his heart”) and her first love, Justin Timberlake. 

The internet has already gawped at the revelation that Spears had his abortion, but listening to Williams explain how he played guitar at Spears while she experienced horrendous cramping on a bathroom floor is astounding. The details alone are shocking, but Williams — with that concentrated calm — lays it all out so matter-of-factly that it’s not treated like a sordid spectacle. It’s a vivid moment that shaped and shamed a young woman, especially when the only person who shared it with her turned on her to promote his solo album. 

William brings the gravitas of an Oscar-nominated actress to every moment of this memoir. It’s not that she’s playing the rattling emotion that Spears must have felt then. The book isn’t written with that kind of splashy emotional explosion. Instead, Williams reads the memoir like the diary of a loved one, giving space for the reflection and respect to the undercurrent of psychological trauma that surged beneath Spears’s practiced smile, which often was her first line of defense. 

At 288 pages (or five hours and 31 minutes), The Woman in Me is a short book for such a storied life, but it offers plenty of food for thought. Spears and Williams see to that. 

The Woman in Me is available on Audible.