Bigger Stronger Faster* (2008)

Director:

Chris Bell

Writers (WGA):

Chris Bell (written by) &
Alexander Buono (written by) ...

Genre:

Documentary | Sport

Tagline:

The side effects of being American.

Plot:

In America, we define ourselves in the superlative: we are the biggest, strongest, fastest country in the world...

Plot Keywords:

Performance Enhancing | Drug | Gi Joe | Stadium | Brother Brother Relationship

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Chris Bell	...	Himself - Host (also archive footage)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hank Aaron	...	Himself (archive footage)
Lyle Alzado	...	Himself (archive footage)
Joshua Amsden	...	Himself
Ben Aukes	...	Himself
Kelly Beecher	...	Himself
Mark Bell	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Mike Bell	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Rosemary Bell	...	Herself (also archive footage)
Sheldon Bell	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Joe Biden	...	Himself (archive footage) (as Sen. Joseph Biden)
Mike Blanton	...	Himself
Christian Boeving	...	Himself
Barry Bonds	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jim Bunning	...	Himself (archive footage)
George Bush	...	Himself (archive footage)
George W. Bush	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jose Canseco	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jeff Carwile	...	Himself
Dr. Carlon Colker	...	Himself
Rick Collins	...	Himself
Meave Cox	...	Herself
Jay Cutler	...	Himself
Dr. Eric Dodson	...	Himself
Jason Ellis	...	Himself
Wade Exum	...	Himself (as Dr. Wade Exum)
Dr. Norm Fost	...	Himself
Dr. Mark Gordon	...	Himself
Gene Haislip	...	Himself
Orrin G. Hatch	...	Himself (archive footage)
Hulk Hogan	...	Himself (archive footage)
Donald Hooton	...	Himself
Rehan Jalali	...	Himself
Ben Johnson	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Marion Jones	...	Herself (archive footage)
John F. Kennedy	...	Himself (archive footage)
Johnny Knox	...	Himself
Floyd Landis	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Stan Lee	...	Himself
Carl Lewis	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Willie Litvack	...	Himself
Timea Majorova	...	Herself
Mickey Mantle	...	Himself (archive footage)
Roger Maris	...	Himself (archive footage)
Mark McGwire	...	Himself (archive footage)
Marilyn Monroe	...	Herself (archive footage)
Tony Mulhare	...	Himself
Mike Nelson	...	Himself (as Major Mike Nelson)
Joe Niekro	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jackie Ochoa	...	Himself
Jack Owoc	...	Himself
Rafael Palmeiro	...	Himself (archive footage)
Joel Paredes	...	Himself
Stephen Paulson	...	Himself
Craig Phillips	...	Himself
Harrison Pope	...	Himself (as Dr. Harrison Pope)
Lauren Powers	...	Herself
Ronald Reagan	...	Himself (archive footage)
Scott Reid	...	Himself
John Romano	...	Himself
Giovanni Roselli	...	Romeo Roselli
Rosie Ruiz	...	Herself (archive footage)
Babe Ruth	...	Himself (archive footage)
Rick Schaff	...	Himself
Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Maria Shriver	...	Herself (archive footage)
Louis Simmons	...	Himself
Aubrey Smith	...	Herself
Bee Smith	...	Herself
Dick 'Smitty' Smith	...	Himself
Sammy Sosa	...	Himself (archive footage)
Sylvester Stallone	...	Himself (archive footage)
Paul Sullivan	...	Himself
Major Travis Swan	...	Himself
Dr. Lee Sweeney	...	Himself
John Sweeney	...	Himself (as Rep. John Sweeney)
Jeff Taylor	...	Himself
Josh Robert Thompson	...	Arnold Schwarzenegger (voice)
Tim Urban	...	Himself
Gregg Valentino	...	Himself
Chuck Vogelpohl	...	Himself
Gary Wadler	...	Himself (as Dr. Gary Wadler)
Diane Watson	...	Herself (as Rep. Diane Watson)
Henry Waxman	...	Himself (also archive footage) (as Rep. Henry Waxman)
Tiger Woods	...	Himself (archive footage)
Dr. Charles Yesalis	...	Himself

Also Known As:

Bigger Stronger Faster*: *The Side Effects of Being American (USA) (long title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving drugs, language, some sexual content and violent images.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-11

Filming Locations:

Columbus, Ohio, USA

Company:

BSF Film

Quotes:

Barry Bonds: We just need to go out there and do our jobs, just as you professionals do your jobs. No... All you guys lied. All of y'all. In a story or whatever, have lied. Should you have asterisks behind your name? All of you have lied! All of you have said something wrong, all of you have dirt. All of you. When your closet's clean, then come clean somebody else's. But clean yours first.

Movie Connections:

Features Predator (1987)

A honest look at Steroids in American Culture

I just recently saw this film at Sundance Film Festival. I loved it. It was the best of the three documentary competition movies I was able to watch. Chris Bell does an amazing job taking an intimate, honest look at American culture and Steroid use. He essentially sets up himself and his family as a case study for his movie. He looks at himself and his family in an honest, open, and introspective manner. He causes the viewer to reevaluate their pre-conceived notions of steroid use and American values. His investigations on the subject include interviews with experts including his own mother and Olympic greats Carl Lewis and Ben Johnson. It is thought provoking, clever, and insightful, all while remaining objective. All things that define a great documentary in my book.