Rating of
4/4
One of 2008's Best Documentaries
Franz Patrick - wrote on 11/23/08
“But in America, it seems like cheaters always prosper.” I know this is a very personal documentary by Chris Bell but he helmed this film in such a way that it gets better the deeper the audiences get into it. It starts off as a critique on American society where most people are willing to do anything to be the best. And then suddenly, it becomes about family values, body images of both youth and adults, childhood dreams, politics, what we’re willing (or not willing) to give up in our lives just so our loved ones can sleep a little better at night. I found this movie to be really scary but also very realistic. Just when I was convinced that, generally, steroids are okay (I am aware of its benefits in the medical field such as stereoids being a solution for muscular dystrophy), my perception is altered because it provides cases which argue that steroids are not okay (risk of suicide, adverse effects in our bodies, addiction). This picture contains a lot of footages that features George W. Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone… which sets up issues that concern us because of what is presented in the media: hard body/masculinity is good; soft body/femininity is bad. It was also interesting when the action figures from the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s were brought up and how their looks have changed. This film covered so much ground to the point where I thought it was so rich with information, I could discuss them all day. Some people may argue that it’s a sign of a lack of focus. I disagree because all of those seemingly disparate things connect to the overall picture: the role of perfomance-enhancing drugs in the United States. I consider this a very important film and it’s one of the best documentaries I’ve seen in 2008.
