Britney Spears plays many roles: Pepsi spokeswoman, Herbal Essences girl, performer, artist and businesswoman.

She is so adept at promotion that Herbal Essences and Pepsi products both make appearances in her new movie, "Crossroads." She also uses the movie to promote her latest CD, "Britney."

Spears often gets ridiculed for baring all in public. But she's proud of her sexuality and her body, and she wants to share it.

As children, we are taught to be proud of who we are. Yet most teenage girls hate the way they look and have poor self-images.

The United States is one of the few countries uncomfortable with such openness. Europeans tend to think this discomfort is backward. They could very well be right. If people did expose a little more, then maybe we wouldn't feel so self-conscious about our differences.

To nonfans, it is difficult to see why Britney causes such a commotion. "If it were about the music, Britney Spears would be a porn star," says a character on "The Hughleys," a TV sitcom.

But what many critics fails to see is a talented young woman who took a chance. She has self-confidence, and I think that's what makes her special.

Spears left her friends and family to try to make it in a very difficult business. While not every girl dreams of being a pop star, they can watch her, hear her message and follow their hearts. They can take a leap at finding their dreams and living life to its fullest. Her many personas are the characters she plays while she tries to find herself. When all is said and done, Spears is a down-to-earth girl from Louisiana who likes to have fun.

Spears' first film, "Crossroads," was written specifically for her. She even helped with the basic concepts. While the plot is really bad, the movie is really about her branching out into other entertainment forms.

This film is really just a trial run to see if Spears can play a a leading role. She can, at least in this movie. Of course, there's a very fine line between Spears and the character (Lucy) she plays.

Lucy is an over-protected little puppet. She's an academic standout in high school, but her accomplishments are for her father, played by Dan Aykroyd, not her. He wants her to be a doctor. She's unsure about her future. She does know that she wants to make her own decisions.

Lucy and her friends set off on a road trip. In a small way, this is a reflection of Spears' own life. Spears missed out on high school, much like Lucy, who "never went to a basketball game ... or just hung out."

Lucy and Spears are highly motivated and ready to leave small-town life. Both recognize there is a lot out there they want to see. Both are struggling to grow up but find outside pressures make it difficult. In Lucy's case, it's her father; in Britney's, it's the media.

This need for self-discovery and independence is something that all adolescents go through. At some point, the apron strings need to be cut, and children need to live their own lives.

This is very much a coming-of-age story. At 20, Spears is barely out of her teens, still trying to come into her own. Lots of teenagers experiment with different looks and activities. Sure, she's a bit more public with her experimentation, but so what? There are far worse role models out there for kids. No one is perfect, though for some reason we, as the public, expect celebrities to be.

She is a beautiful, intelligent and confident young woman. In our society, those qualities can be difficult to find.

Grade for Crossroads: B

Grade for Spears: B