Review of Bigger Stronger Faster* (2008) by Kyle C — 13 Jan 2010

This movie can be taken in a lot of different ways. You could say it's a movie trying to get people to accept steroids, or a movie that's just about steroids. I don't feel that way myself, at all. I found it very interesting in many ways and while there were certain topics that were only touched upon, I feel like it was just enough to tie in with the point that Chris Bell was trying to make. Topics I'm talking about are ones like the plastic surgery movement, reefer madness, etc. I appreciated that Chris interviewed different people from different sides of the story. The statistics were interesting to know, this film definitely opened my eyes about steroids. I walked away with feeling basically like... steroids make people stronger and bigger but they also mess with your body. Can they be safe to take? Yes.... Can they be dangerous to take? Yes... Will I ever do them? Probably not.

That's just on the steroid drug itself. I walked away with much more than that from this film. It reminded me of how contradicting and silly the way things work really can be. We're told not to consume something, but then we're the sold the same thing as something else. (When really it's just the same thing) The whole political angle of it all was to me quite typical of how things run. They government wants us to be scared. This movie really made think about a lot.

It made me think about people themselves and self esteem/self image. The dreams and fantasies people have and how hard it can be to accept reality. It made think about the things we grow up believing or the heroes we have and really made me look at adults that are really just grown up kids. Wanting to be the best, wanting to be accepted, wanting to have fun. It made me think about the government and the pharmaceutical companies and the sports industry. It made think about cultures and how countries are different and how no one really knows what the hell is going on. Haha..

I thought the way Chris Bell expressed the metaphor " we are a nation on steroids " was powerful and effective. Especially given the events that have happened and are happening today. I am a Canadian and I'll be honest, I think that the producers of this film just wanted to leave me feeling sorry for the state of America. lol The same thing happened watching the other films they've produced, Bowling for Columbine and Farenheit 9/11. I literally feel really sorry for the United States of America. This film also made me shake my head at how different things are from 40 or 50 years ago to now, yet how similar things are at the same time.

I mean, it used to be that I looked at the USA as like the "popular" country. Kind of like being in high school and the USA is the "popular kid" and then as you get older you realize that in order to maintain having that reputation and being cool and popular, you have to put on a front a lot of the time. There's a lot going on behind the scenes that an outsider doesn't realize. You find out the popular kid is really just a normal kid and fucked up in their own ways.

I also think this film did a good job in mentioning that you should believe in yourself. I really fell in love with the Bell boy's parents. I enjoyed what they had to say, and I felt sorry for their Mom feeling like she had failed in some way. The bottom line is, whether you want to believe it or not, the media and the outside environment raises your child just as much as you do. I liked that Chris Bell tried to remain objective and honest at the same time. Regardless what you end up thinking about this movie, you have to have respect for the family for going on film like that and talking about what they did.

I definitely suggest seeing this film 100%.