BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER

Christopher Bell Written by: Christopher Bell, Alexander Buono, Tamsin Rawady Review by Ray DeRousse

rating:4

Director CHRISTOPHER BELL does an interesting thing during the opening of his steroid documentary BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER: he looks at his role models during his childhood years, focusing on hilarious and now-shameful images of ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, HULK HOGAN, and SYLVESTER STALLONE in their mucle-bound, pop-culture glory. They are instantly-recognizable images of American might and power. We see Rocky, bulging and intense, battling the Russian super-boxer from ROCKY 4. We see Ah-nold knocking down doors and killing everything in sight as THE TERMINATOR. We see glistening, nostalgic Olympic conquests by American icons like MARY LOU RETTON. And then he takes them all apart. In recent years, a peculiar war has been raging on Capitol Hill over the use of steriods in professional sports, particularly baseball, commonly known as "America's Pastime." Known steroid users like Raphael Palmiero and Mark McGwire have received a public lambasting, while accomplishments come under scrutiny and asterisks dot the record books. The hunt for steroid users has taken on the flavor of the McCarthy Red Scare trials of the fifties, or the Salem witch hunts of medieval times. While Presidents foment illegal wars without justification just down the street, Congressmen talk about preserving a sporting event from the evils of drug use. Surprisingly, Bell throws himself and his family into the heart of the matter. All three of the Bell boys grew up in weight-lifting competitions. While brothers Mike and Mark have consistently used steroids to maintain their monstrous physiques, director Bell has shied away from them. His stance prompts many of the probing questions at the center of the issue - are they wrong, and if not, then why are they illegal? The documentary explores the many alternative viewpoints and evidences available - the Ben Johnson scandal, Lyle Alzado's death, and the suicide of a young steroid user - to create a tapestry that leaves the issue open for serious but informed discussion. Bell uses his family and their experiences throughout the film to springboard the discussion in various areas. While some of this family footage comes off like a reality television show, it also has the effect of humanizing the information. It helps his cause tremendously that he is blessed with a family that provides him with honest, forthright testimony. Additionally, the film is well-crafted, particularly in the editing stage. Rather than methodically tick off the various points of the argument, Bell and his editors allow the film to gather its evidence organically, growing naturally out his own family situation. It's a wise move that prevents the film from becoming preachy or overbearing. Excellent work. For myself, I tend to agree with what I perceive to be Bell's opinions on the subject, namely that steroids should not be illegal. In fact, in a country that claims to be a land of freedom and individual determination, should anything like this be illegal? As Bell points out in the documentary (and many of his subjects are unwilling to admit), alcohol and cigarettes - both legal - kill hundreds of thousands more every year than steroids. Like other hot-button issues like gay marriage and marijuana, the steroid controversy seems to be the government's attempt to control the life choices of her citizens, rather than allowing them the basic freedoms to choose for themselves. As Bell's terrific documentary shows, America is a nation consumed by drugs. But sometimes, the drug can be power and control as well.