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Bigger, Stronger, Faster seeks to answer the age old question: Do performance related drugs enchance our atheletes to new heights of excellence, or is the current anti doping regime correct? If so, what exactly is the regime and why?
Bigger, Stronger, Faster **** out of ***** 
Director: Chris Bell Writer: Alexander Buono, Chris Bell Genre: Documentary Bigger, Stronger, Faster* is a documentary by Chris Bell as he investigates a subject very close to him and his family; that being Steroid use. Chris grew up worshipping such role models as Hulk Hogan, Sylvester Stallone, and the Governator himself Arnold Schwarzenegger. And for some reason, he was shocked to find out that the muscles they displayed may not have been gained in the manner in which he expected. After all, why would he? They all promoted healthy living, training, and a variety of endorsed supplements to help create a massive figure of your own. So…drugs are wrong, right? Chris’ older and younger brothers both actively and openly take steroids. So Chris wonders why he himself has so many problems with it. Is it the health concerns? Is it maybe the ethical concerns? Or does he just feel bitter, due to believing his heroes have all lied to him? Chris embarks on a journey to many medical professions, and other such authorities on the subject, to find out the truths behind all the media hype about steroid use. Along the way he finds much conflicting information about what causes what and to whom. This part of the documentary features a wealth of scientific information that is good for anybody looking for some facts about the drugs effect on the human body. And yes, they do shrink your balls.  The more fascinating parts of the documentary, from an entertainment perspective (although not always in a positive fashion), are the sections where he interviews several active steroid users, including his two brothers. This meant that Chris’ mother discovered that her boys did drugs, which is hard to watch. You can’t help but get a strong impression that most of the people he interviews that are fans of steroid use are either a) guilty over their use, b) sad old men with no connection to reality, or c) pretty dumb to begin with. We even get interviews with Carl Lewis and Ben Johnson! It’s a shame that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon forbade any of his talent from speaking with Chris (a few of them go way back) about the matter, thanks to the Chris Benoit tragedy. They would have had a good chance to speak on a few issues here. There is an interview with a parent of a teenager who committed suicide; with the cause being steroids as far as the dad is concerned. This is the hardest part of the doco to watch, as the dad tries to maintain composure throughout his interview. Specifically the part where Chris says that many feel the effects of steroids are temporary. What is the dad’s response? “My son is dead.” Chris takes a pretty good view point throughout his documentary. He doesn’t try and force any one agenda down your throat. It appears he too is searching for the same answers as anyone considering learning more about the subject. Mainly though, you get a real sense of resignation in Chris’ filmmaking. He is well aware of the presence of drugs in the sporting world and considers it a ‘side-effect of being American’ (this being the subtitle of the film, after all). If I had to pick the most thought provoking section though, it is where they try to break down exactly what is considered ‘cheating’ by various sporting committees. I had never heard of ‘blood doping’, where you remove some of your blood for a period of time before hooking it back up again, or many other ways that athletes have found to increase their performance. The issues regarding where committees seem to draw the line is ethically interesting and leaves you feeling even more disillusioned with mainstream sports. 
All in all, Chris weaves a good tale here. There are a few hints of the Michael Moore style of filmmaking early on but, considering the personal nature of what he is working through, it is forgivable. I stopped the DVD multiple times to comment with fellow viewers on some of the issues raised and it sparked much conversation & thought. What more could you ask for? Informative and compelling, Bigger, Stronger, Faster* is a must to watch. Rating: A (editor: You don't often get a film with both 4 stars and an A rating)
This film will screen in Wellington at The Paramount on July 23 at
6:30pm and on July 25 at 1:45pm.
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