Chris Bell demonstrates how easy it is to make a "before and after" ad in "Bigger, Stronger, Faster*"
(Credit: Magnolia)
- Photos:
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- Running time:
- 105 minutes
- Rated:
- PG-13
- Director:
- Christopher Bell
- Genre:
- Documentary
- Official Movie Web Site:
- http://www.biggerstrongerfastermovie.com/
- Overall User Rating:
-
(1 rating)
Big question: Does this documentary shed any new light on a topic that’s sparked controversy for years now?
Catch it: Bell successfully blends the docu-tainment tactics that led to hit films for Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock (two the “Bigger” producers worked on Moore’s “Bowling for Columbine” and “Fahrenheit 9/11”) with an insightful study of the myths, stigma and hypocrisy surrounding the “war” on steroids and performance-enhancing drugs.
Skip it: If you think documentary filmmakers shouldn’t get involved with their subject matter. Bell places himself, and his family, at the center of the film. But rather than resulting in the narcissistic extremes of the worst of Moore and Spurlock, the personal touch only bulks up the film’s dramatic weight. Still, you’ll probably wonder how his brothers and parents felt about seeing intimate details of their lives on screen.
Bottom line: With considerably more nuance than a Congressional hearing, “Bigger, Stronger, Faster*” will make you rethink any preconceived notions about steroids. But the film doesn’t stop there. There are even more provocative notions to be found in the movie’s consideration of what it really means to cheat—leaving the audience with moral and ethical questions not easily answered.
Bonus: The asterisk after the title denotes the subtitle "The Side Effects of Being American," but also recalls warnings on pharmaceuticals and the controversy over Barry Bonds' homerun records.
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