The United States is a nation obsessed with achievement and appearances. Americans want to be the best at everything and want to look their best while doing it. To fulfill this need, many have turned to anabolic steroids, a topic that is causing controversy throughout the country.
In Bigger, Stronger, Faster*: The Side Effects of Being American, writer/director Chris Bell takes an honest look at the issue of steroids, interviewing public officials, professional athletes, medical experts and body builders, among others. Most compelling is Bell’s personal experience with steroids, which serves as the heart of the documentary and the inspiration for his investigation.
Growing up, Bell and his two brothers idolized bodybuilders such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Hulk Hogan. Their hero worship evolved into career aspirations of professional bodybuilding and wrestling. As time went on, it became evident to them that performance-enhancing drugs were not only commonplace in the bodybuilding community, but a necessity to achieving greatness in the field.
Schwarzenegger and Hogan both needed steroids to become the best of the best. While his brothers had no qualms in joining steroid culture, Bell saw it as a moral compromise. He didn’t want to be a cheater, but eventually he too found himself involved in the use of performance enhancing drugs.
Bell’s feelings of guilt ultimately outweighed his need to achieve, and he put a stop to his steroid use. This led Bell on a journey to uncover the truth about steroids, how they came to be, their effects on the human body and the prevalent use of them today. He also questions whether taking performance enhancing drugs is indeed cheating, or simply using all available resources to be the best.
Bigger, Stronger, Faster* explores many points of view on the subject, with Bell presenting his findings in an earnest and humorous way. He does not push an agenda or favor one opinion over the other, instead of letting viewers draw their own conclusions.
Perhaps most shocking of all is the overwhelming use of performance – enhancing drugs in all facets of society. Many military personnel, musicians and even students all routinely employ the use of PEDs in one form or another. Bell’s brothers continue to use performance-enhancing drugs and give insight into the psychology of many steroid users. The brothers put a personal face on those who have been overly demonized in the media.
Throughout it all, Bell’s parents serve as a strong moral compass, their traditional Christian values guiding their parental counsel. While love for their sons remains, their disappointment over the choices made by Bell and his brothers is evident.
Bigger, Stronger, Faster* is more than an examination of steroid use; it is a critique of American culture. It argues that despite the pros and cons, use of PEDs is ultimately a side effect of a greater, overarching issue. Americans are in a constant struggle to do the right thing and be the best, and unfortunately those concepts are mutually exclusive more often than not.
