BAYAREASHOWS.today.com

Movie Review

Bigger, Stronger, Faster*

Directed by Christopher Bell

2008 Rated PG-13

As I settled into my seat, I wondered what to expect. The preview poster adorned figures of Barry Bonds, Arnold as Governor, and Hulk Hogan. I certainly did not want to see a documentary vilifying steroids. Nor did I want to be barked at by proponents claiming the drug is harmless. The three gorilla-sized heads sitting in front of me brought fears of the latter. But what transpired was a documentary that was surprisingly objective, and very informative.

The film follows the lives of director Christopher Bell, himself conflicted about using steroids, and his two brothers, admitted beneficiaries of the drug. Throughout his sojourns, Bell uncovers a double standard in American culture: the negative spin that is the propaganda, and the don’t ask/don’t tell politics that is the reality. At one point Bell alludes to the issue of immigration. He hires “illegals” to help him concoct his own weightlifting supplement, in an effort to expose the lack of regulation in the industry. Whether Bell intentionally juxtaposed the issue of steroids with that of immigration, which suffers a similar propaganda-reality disparity, is unknown. What is known is that many musclemen of the 80s that Bell idolized were and may still be taking steroids, yet for whatever reasons, keep it taboo. Bell’s jokes resemble the antics of a Michael Moore Film: the tragic humor is often in the blithe ignorance and folly that comes from unsuspecting interview questions.

One criticism is that Bell may be too much like Michael Moore—–right down to his voice overs and the USC cap he wears in almost every scene (Moore wears a Michigan cap). However this does not diminish the message of the film, nor the public service that it provides. I simply could not shake off the similarities between Bell and Moore’s styles.

Review By Jason Alyesh

Trackback URI | Comments RSS