No more waiting: Bigger, Stronger, Faster* from Christopher Bell is being released in two days.

I can’t think of a better weekend to present this brilliant documentary than the weekend which is bringing us what may be the biggest chick flick ever. That particular movie is really femininity on steroids. Balance that with this movie actually about steroids and your weekend becomes pretty interesting.

Maybe you aren’t used to getting excited about documentaries as much as I am — that’s right I’ll even pre-order tickets to opening night for my favorite documentary filmmakers. Bigger, Stronger, Faster* has the all the elements of a blockbuster documentary, so let’s go through some of the important elements:

1. First of all, personality. The personality of the filmmaker is increasingly the main storytelling element in mass market documentaries. Michael Moore is front and center in his documentaries and handles very complex social topics with a proper amount of humor and absurdity. Then there is Morgan Spurlock…which you know what he’s all about.

   In his freshman effort, Christopher Bell has made an excellent film and he is a big part of what makes it work. Steroids is a very serious topic, at least in the way that we understand (or in many cases, don’t understand) about them. Something that maybe we wouldn’t necessarily think about more than “this is bad.” Mr. Bell does an excellent job of balancing the issue and educating the audience. And he’s entertaining to watch and he’s very likable.

2. Second, the filmmaker cares about his topic. The topic is personal to him–as he explains his brother and his experiences with steroids. It is fascinating to see such a personal look at how a family copes with this issue and what it means to everyone–mom and dad, spouses, brothers…

3. Third, it is comprehensive. You don’t have to know a lot about steroids to understand this movie. Actually, to rephrase, you don’t need to know anything about the subject. You will leave with an understand of what it is, a brief history of steroids in the US, and why people would use them.

4. And fourth, the topic is linked to something bigger. Steroids aren’t just about bulking up they are about striving to be something or being able to achieve something bigger than themselves. Unfortunately, there are lots of consequences–social, emotional, and physical–that comes with this.

Stop by your theater whether or not your are male, a sports fan, or know anything about steroids. Christopher Bell’s skilled storytelling will make you interested and excited about the complex world of steroids.

Opens May 30th in selected theaters. I’m sure the better it plays well in these theaters, the more likely it will move on to more across the country.

Filed under: Media | Entertainment, Movies — Pilar @ 12:49 pm