AllMovie

A 59-year-old workaholic and two-time divorcée enters into the world of competitive bodybuilding, and filmmaker Bryan Friedman's camera is present to capture every moment of his estranged father's startling transformation. As a young boy, Bryan never really got to know his father, Bill, yet by following the geriatric bodybuilder as his obsession takes hold and his muscles begin to bulge, the embittered son begins learning more about his old man than he ever thought possible. Bill Friedman was an out-of-shape lawyer who had never really been there for his family, and sank into a deep depression after his second divorce. In the months that followed, Bill would sell his house, abandon the firm, and devote his entire existence to his workout routine. While there's still 26 years of lingering tension between father and son, by following his dad through tanning sessions, choreography lessons, and the basic quest for sculpted perfection, Bryan begins to understand the restorative power of failure and the relief that seems to come even with reluctant forgiveness.