Documentary Movie Reviews

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Bigger, Stronger, Faster* (2008)

Rate: 9
Viewed: 3/10

BiggerFaster
3/10: I love how Bigger, Stronger, Faster* started off with clips of familiar images from the 80's, giving people an impression of what the muscle craze was all about.

Fast forward to now, the image has been ubiquitous in sports, magazines, and the internet, yet it's unrealistic and unattainable. Hence, the answer to the paradox is anabolic steroids, among other performance-enhancing drugs.

Of course, everybody who's been warned by the dangers of injecting steroids can quickly conjure up the sad image of Lyle Alzado who failed to walk under his own power before seating himself for the interview. It was the defining moment of "if I do anabolic steroids, I'll become like him." Years later, Jose Canseco wrote a groundbreaking tell-all book Juiced which shattered some myths including Lyle Alzado who had died of causes that weren't directly linked to anabolic steroids.

So, does it mean they're safe after all? I don't know, but there's one thing that's for sure: steroids are wrong. They destroy the concept of fair play. The whole thing pretty much started with Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa during their record-breaking home run chase in 1998. Fun at first, what they ultimately did was to ruin the game of baseball. It became the beginning of the end for sports in general.

Today, professional athletes are no longer trusted, and their individual achievements are forever in question. The issue, of course, trickles down to college and then to high school and youth sports. Kids are told to play fair and not cheat, but they know it's hypocritical because cheating is a surefire way to be on the royal road of winning and therefore a big payday.

When kids find out the truth for the first time, they feel cheated and harbor a great deal of resentment for the cheaters who've ruined the game for them. Hence, they have to decide whether to ignore it and continue playing or quit the game for good.

All in all, Bigger, Stronger, Faster* showcases what's wrong with sports today.