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Though it is compelling and entertaining to watch (fashioned after the pop-documentaries of Michael Moore), Bigger has its faults. One of its main weaknesses is that it tries to cover too much ground and never really feels totally coherent or focused. It at times feels expository (a recounting of the history and controversy of steroids, from Ben Johnson to Barry Bonds), and at other times it becomes a more investigative, Frontline-esque exposé (as in the extended section on the corrupt, $24 billion dietary supplement industry). It also attempts to tie the whole doping issue to the broader American identity: the sort of "win at all costs" mentality. In fact, the subtitle of the film is "The Side Effects of Being American," which indicates that American-ness will be explored as a primary subject matter in the film. But this is not the case, and only in a few spots (and especially in the last few minutes) does the film directly address American culture as a unique contributing factor to our obsession with bigger, stronger, and faster bodies.

Big Will Harris interviewed by Christopher Bell

The film fares a little better in its pondering of human nature, framing man as inherently prone to cheating and chronically unsatisfied with everything. These instincts are exacerbated in a society in which cheaters seem to prosper and the media sanctifies the "perfect body" as the ultimate (and achievable) goal. To counter these influences, the Bell family matriarch, Rosemary, an active churchgoer, does her best to remind her boys that they are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14) and that "you are exactly as God made you to be." Indeed, it is a shame that Rosemary and her voice of reason doesn't get more screen time, but her lack of influence represents the uphill battle a parent has in today's over-mediated, hyper-imagistic culture.

Ultimately, Bigger, Stronger, Faster presents a foreboding look at our collective conception of the human being: as a machine-like mechanism that can be sculpted, doped, enhanced, and perfected because, well, because we all want to be powerful and attractive and in control of our image. Distant is the notion that our bodies are "temples" or "not our own," or anything even remotely sacred. Instead we subject ourselves to unnatural drugs, diets, and training regimes, because many of us can relate to Mike "Mad Dog" Bell when he says, "I'd rather be dead than average."

Talk About It

1. Given the arguments of the film, do you think that steroids should be de-criminalized?
2. Where do we draw the line in terms of what we view as "cheating" or "performance-enhancing"?
3. Does the film successfully justify the Bell brothers' use of steroids? Or at least explain it?
4. What is it in American culture particularly that makes us aspire to "win at all costs" and how might we work to rid ourselves of this dangerous imperative?

The Family Corner

Bigger, Stronger, Faster is rated PG-13 for thematic material involving drugs, language, some sexual content and violent images. The film contains some disturbing images (particularly of some truly grotesque steroid-enhanced bodies), but on the whole it is relatively inoffensive and clean. Parents who want to foster a discussion with their children (particularly young boys) about issues of body image and competition might find this a useful film. On the other hand, some parents might be wary of the film's reluctance to completely denounce steroids or performance-enhancing drugs.

Photos © Copyright Magnolia Pictures

© Brett McCracken subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

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