The Bell family boys featured in this documentary struggle with their body image, the search for success, and reconciling their use / non-use of steroids to achieve their goals. As middle son, Chris, strikes out to answer his own questions about steroid use, we're introduced to mini-celebrities, has-beens, and wishful dreamers all obsessed about being bigger, faster, and/or stronger. As the filmmaker explores this obsession, he quickly reveals that the primary tool used by many athletes and body builders are anabolic steroids. The rest of the movie is spent examining the effects (both negative and positive) of steroid use, the controversy surrounding steroids, and the impact of steroid use on the personal relationships within his own family.
I've read some user comments that state this film was somehow in support of steroid use, and I'm confused by that. If anything, I felt that the persistent need to try to be physically bigger was really a pathetic goal that too many men in America pursue to the detriment of their personal relationships. In the same way that some women pursue the perfect size "0" and the perfect breasts, there are men out there that are trying to achieve the perfect biceps and the perfect six-pack abs. It's all just packaging and doesn't say anything about their value as a person, and to me this is really superficial and sad. This impression was really cemented shortly into the film when we meet a 50+ yr old bodybuilder living in his van outside the Gold's Gym, and still trying to achieve his goal of being 'king' of the gym. What a waste of life.
While the film talks about how steroids have been demonized, I feel the underlying message is much subtler: America is obsessed with being the biggest, fastest and strongest, and because the physical abilities of man have been stretched to the absolute limit, tools are needed to try to continue the pursuit. I agree with the filmmaker that the next step in this pursuit will probably be genetic engineering, and that's pretty scary. I'm not sure that our concerns about steroids are justified, but I do believe that we should be VERY concerned about our obsession with demanding more from athletes, soldiers, and rewarding individuals for amassing bizarre and deforming amounts of muscle.
In the end, the revelations about Chris Bell's brothers left me thinking that steroid use is just chasing a pipe dream. If his brothers focused on their relationships as much as they worried about how they looked, they'd be a lot better off.
The film also makes me re-think the notion of success. Is it being in front of a camera and having our 15 minutes of fame, or is it being a responsible, loving and caring member of our family? I vote for the latter.
I've read some user comments that state this film was somehow in support of steroid use, and I'm confused by that. If anything, I felt that the persistent need to try to be physically bigger was really a pathetic goal that too many men in America pursue to the detriment of their personal relationships. In the same way that some women pursue the perfect size "0" and the perfect breasts, there are men out there that are trying to achieve the perfect biceps and the perfect six-pack abs. It's all just packaging and doesn't say anything about their value as a person, and to me this is really superficial and sad. This impression was really cemented shortly into the film when we meet a 50+ yr old bodybuilder living in his van outside the Gold's Gym, and still trying to achieve his goal of being 'king' of the gym. What a waste of life.
While the film talks about how steroids have been demonized, I feel the underlying message is much subtler: America is obsessed with being the biggest, fastest and strongest, and because the physical abilities of man have been stretched to the absolute limit, tools are needed to try to continue the pursuit. I agree with the filmmaker that the next step in this pursuit will probably be genetic engineering, and that's pretty scary. I'm not sure that our concerns about steroids are justified, but I do believe that we should be VERY concerned about our obsession with demanding more from athletes, soldiers, and rewarding individuals for amassing bizarre and deforming amounts of muscle.
In the end, the revelations about Chris Bell's brothers left me thinking that steroid use is just chasing a pipe dream. If his brothers focused on their relationships as much as they worried about how they looked, they'd be a lot better off.
The film also makes me re-think the notion of success. Is it being in front of a camera and having our 15 minutes of fame, or is it being a responsible, loving and caring member of our family? I vote for the latter.