'Criminal' Music Video by Britney Spears

Britney premiered the highly anticipated video for her fourth single 'Criminal' off her seventh studio album 'Femme Fatale' Tuesday morning.  The video, directed by Chris Marrs Piliero (who also directed 'I Wanna Go'), is hands down my favorite Britney video ever.  The first few seconds had me hooked and sold.  In the song, Britney sings about falling in love with a criminal, and she knows he's "a bad boy with a tainted heart" but she loves him.  This is a theme that I'm sure a lot of women can relate to, and Britney uses the video in particular as a platform to show that women don't need to be trapped in loveless and abusive relationships; they can escape and be strong even if they are in love with someone who is not seen by society as a "good" guy.  She defines what it means to be a femme fatale in this video.  Love is all that matters.

The video is a mini-movie in itself, and so it begins with a fancy dinner party with Britney all dolled up and, frankly, looking the most beautiful that I have ever seen her.  Her beau is very physical with her and telling her to smile so she runs off to the bathroom to zen out for a moment.  When she comes back she sees her boyfriend flirting with another woman, and Britney says "So you're not working the street corner tonight I see?" and delivers a hilarious line with comedic genius.  What can't this woman do?  Her boyfriend is obviously very embarrassed so he takes her outside and slaps her.  That's when the "criminal" (played by Britney's real life boyfriend, Jason Trawick) steps in and delivers a blow to the man.  Britney even gets a crotch shot in and the two begin their love affair.

Britney starts getting adjusted to this new lifestyle and pulls a gun on a cashier, and thus begins her criminal life.  Their faces are plastered on the news, and this in turn brings them closer together.  There is an abundance of steamy sex scenes that take place, and you can really feel the emotional connection that these two have.  Some people are upset that Jason is in the video because they wanted a hunk to play the leading man, but why do that when you can have this beautiful connection of love transcend the screen?  It's clear that these two are in love, and I really hope that they get married soon because they are so happy together.  Through all of this we see some amazing shots of her dancing and looking sexy in the doorway; perhaps my favorite scenes in the video.  She makes it all work and it is stunning.  

And so the climax of the video is upon us.  The police have found out their location and unload their guns.  While all of this is going on, Britney and Jason are passionately making out, and then they make their getaway.  While some people have said that Britney's performances and commitment to her job have been declining and waning in the past few years, I have to disagree 100% and I think that this video proves that.  She is the master at being controversial, sexy and entertaining all at the same time without having to go to the lengths that GaGa does to achieve the same thing.  Britney's just a natural at it, and that is why she is the Princess of Pop.

No vanilla candles were harmed in the making of this video

(If you're a Britney stan then you'll understand this reference)