In February of 2007, the twice-divorced 25 year old mother of two, Britney Spears, shaved her head. Media had already been suggesting she might be heading for a breakdown due to her reckless behaviour earlier that year that included excessive partying in Hollywood nightclubs. Britney has always been partly at war with the paparazzi though something clearly pushed her to the point of risking the admiration of her fans as well as her public image through media.

A star since age 11, she has had no chance at a private life. So was it a nervous breakdown or a rebellion against the paparazzi that led Britney to shave off her pretty blonde hair? Britney Off the Rails shows up close footage of the event. The hairdresser whom Britney went to for her head to be shaved explains how Britney began to shave her own head and later attacked the camera men outside who had been watching and filming as she performed the deed. We gain insight from various sources including her first agent, her childhood best friend, journalists and music industry professionals. They explain how she has always seeked attention and had a love/hate relationship with the media. The documentary traces her as she attempts to rebuild her public image after shaving her head in the need to keep her music career successful.