If nothing else, this documentary (that took a very level-headed approach to weighing the pros & cons of steroid use amongst athletes/bodybuilders) was certainly well-worth a view just to get an eye-popping look at Greg Valentino's ridiculously over-developed biceps, as well as seeing a heavily muscled Belgian Blue bull (sans steroids) up close.

But besides these 2 very freakish curiosities, this fairly satisfied viewer was also very pleasantly surprised by how well-researched and competently presented Bigger Stronger Faster* was. I certainly wasn't expecting to be this impressed with this documentary.

Very professionally directed by Chris Bell (whose 2 older brothers were both avid steroid users), I found this entertaining documentary to be quite fair-minded about its research regarding the positive benefits of taking steroids as opposed to their negative side-effects, which showed clear links to cancer, heart attacks and erratic behaviour (roid rage).

Through interviews with medical experts, sports figures, etc., etc., Chris Bell's documentary repeatedly brought into question the use of steroids amongst high-profile athletes. And, as a result of this, brought some of America's biggest heroes in the arena of sports (who are praised to the heavens) down a few significant notches from their lofty positions on their pedestals.

Steroids was always a dirty little secret, especially in bodybuilding, football, and track & field (did you see those eastern European women in the 70's and 80's?), but it never really hit mainstream until the early to mid-2000's when Barry Bonds was breaking home run records and Marion Jones was threatening the women's 100m record. Then, steroids, PEDs (performance enhancing drugs), and growth hormones became an oft-discussed and debated topic. For weeks PEDs dominated sports talk radio. If it wasn't Jose Canseco with his book, it was an interview with Ken Caminetti, or a coverage of Victor Conti and the BALCO trial, or speculation about which baseball players were juicing and which weren't; from Alex Rodriguez, to Andy Pettite, to Roger Clemens, to the 25th guy on the roster. It was everywhere. Then Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada came out with the book "Game of Shadows" that focused mainly on Barry Bonds, but was about the entire game of baseball.

"Bigger, Faster, Stronger" is about steroids, or more specifically anabolic steroids. Chris Bell goes all over to talk to different people on different sides of the issue, and in Michael Moorian fashion does his own narration in a very similar manner. The information is very interesting as he adds a personal element to the story. The documentary seems very pro-steroid for all of the reasons a good Libertarian would give. I like that it pulls the covers back on all of our childhood "heroes" out there whom we thought got to where they were with hard work, a good diet, and good genetics. Yes, all of those things are necessary to be an Arnie or a Ronnie Coleman, but a healthy dose of steroids puts them over the top.

I am no scientist nor doctor, so I have no idea how accurate this film is. I would sure love to hear from a real and impartial expert what they think of this provocative film.

When the film begins, the filmmaker talks about his childhood and that of his two brothers. The three went from doughy kids to macho via football, pro wrestling as well as weightlifting. Two of the brothers did this with the help of steroids, the filmmaker didn't...and is the smallest of the three.

The movie purports to be anti-steroids initially. It talks about the various negative consequences of the drugs as well as their ubiquity in sports. However, through the course of the film, the dialog changes and the film ends for there becoming legal because, at least according to the filmmaker, there are no long-term studies and there seem to be benefits only for its use. Is this true? I dunno but the film is provocative and well constructed.