Bigger, Stronger, Faster*

*The Side Effects of Being American

A documentary about steroids in sports and America, made by a weightlifter whose two brothers have dabbled in the substance. There's nothing new about the technique or storytelling; the film owes quite a bit to "Roger & Me." But the filmmaker, Chris Bell, has made a captivating film that is informative and also captures a lot of intensely personal moments with his family. The most striking scene to me was when his mother was telling him she doesn't understand why her sons can't be satisfied with their God-given bodies and why they don't realize maybe there's something they have that Arnold and Sly don't. And what's even more impressive is how he manages to extract truths from his personal life and from the culture in general about what it means to be American.

A few months ago, someone asked me what movies I liked recently. I gave her my list, and she said I must like documentaries. I denied it, but half of my list was documentaries. This movie made me realize I don't prefer the genre, I just think that lately they are where the talent and ingenuity is at. Last year, nothing stuck with me like "Sicko" or "The King of Kong" or "The Devil Came on Horseback." This year, "Bigger, Stronger, Faster*" is The Film. So far.