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FirstCuts: Bigger, Stronger, Faster* Review

Jun 10, 2008, 5:00 PM UTC

What if you grow up idolizing people who turn out to be liars and cheaters? Do you follow the people after which you’ve modeled your life, or do you create your own path?â†µ

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â†µThese are the questions at the core of Bigger, Stronger, Faster*, a documentary directed by Christopher Bell from Poughkeepsie, NY. The film comes from the producers of Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11. Bell has an older and younger brother -- Mike and Mark -- who both still are active performance enhancing drug users.â†µâ†µI’ve got as much PED discussion fatigue as anyone, but this film has its worthwhile moments, so hit the jump for some of the high (and low) points.
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â†µâ†µWhen you hear Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11, you probably think of Michael Moore, and specifically, someone with an agenda. However you feel about the points in those movies, they were definitely aimed at saying something specifically. Bigger, Stronger, Faster* doesn't seem to do this same thing -- except perhaps making a broader point that Americans in general want achieve to the point where many people are willing to break the rules. The fact that Bell doesn't beat the audience over the head with "steroids are right" or "steroids are wrong" made the whole thing easier to watch, albeit confusing at times. By the time the film ended, I had no greater sense of how Bell really felt on the issue.â†µ

â†µâ†µWithout hitting every little thing that goes on in the movie, here are a few of the moments that stuck out in my mind:â†µ

â†µâ†µGregg Valentino: He’s the guy featured at the start of the trailer you saw above the jump. Add me to the list of people who would probably vomit if they had to look at his biceps one more time. At one point in the film over dinner he’s given sort of an open mic about his philosophy on life. Never in my life have I heard such jackassery from a guy who is the true definition a meathead. He was one of the people I counted as a gigantic hypocrite in this film, calling Arnold Schwarzenegger to action.â†µ

â†µâ†µPaul Sullivan: If there’s a posterboy for the part of the film that talks about how obsessed Americans are with being bigger, stronger and faster, it’s Sullivan. His story of moving to California to train at Gold’s Gym, only to end up living in his van while still training at Gold’s is utterly sad.â†µ

â†µâ†µThe Reefer Madness comparison: At one point, the parallel is drawn between the old scare film on marijuana and the way steroids are being treated today. Knowing that there’s basically no testing being done on steroids because of its illegality, this probably comes off as hyperbolic, but isn’t all that far from the truth. Will we look back at the way we treat steroids today in 40 years and laugh the same way we do at Reefer Madness?â†µ

â†µâ†µThis bull: Seriously that bull is ripped.â†µ

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â†µâ†µHypocrisy of Mark “Smelly” Bell: He’s the younger brother of Christopher Bell, who coaches high school football, and in moments with just a camera, he’ll espouse how nothing is really wrong. Set him down in front of his players or his parents, and his tune changes. Look, if you’re ashamed, you’re ashamed, but don’t be so brash about doing steroids, and then be so gutless and unwilling to admit it to those close to you. And better yet, don’t get involved with kids if you aren’t willing to be straight about how you live your life.â†µ

â†µâ†µThe Donald Hooton interview: Donald is the father of Taylor Hooton, who killed himself and the Hooton family feels it was directly linked to steroid use. Whether this was actually the case seems questionable, and there are valid arguments to be made about what antidepressants did to Taylor’s mind, but to ask those questions in the dead kid’s room almost felt exploitive. It was a borderline moment that made me feel uneasy.â†µ

â†µâ†µThe Henry Waxman interview: If only for this exchange ...â†µ

â†µâ†µBell: President Bush allotted $15 million for steroid education, where has that money gone?â†µ
â†µWaxman: Um … I don’t know.â†µ
â†µBell: (Blank stare)â†µ
â†µWaxman: (Looking to man in the back of the room) Do you know? (No answer from man)â†µ
â†µWaxman: OK, we don’t know (Laughs, smiles nervously).â†µ

â†µâ†µI could probably go on and on, but I don’t want to spoil the entire film. I’ll leave a few of my favorite parts in my Word doc and let you decide what you liked. If you want to check out the film, it’s slowly making its way to select cities across the country. Although I’m sick of it as anyone when it comes to the discussion of PEDs, I felt like I’d learned a thing or two from the film that -- as far as documentaries go -- was relatively agenda-free. If it’s in your city, take the time to check it out. The film’s positives far outweight the negatives.
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This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.

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