Tyson (2008)

Genre: Documentary

Directed by: James Toback

Cast: Mike Tyson

Time: 90 minutes

Over the course of 90 minutes, former heavyweight champion boxer Mike Tyson goes over his life, from his humble beginnings in Brooklyn, to his intense training, to his success as a fighter and then to his demise, mostly caused by personal demons.

In this documentary, directed by James Toback, Tyson pulls no punches. He still claims his innocence in regards to the rape conviction of 1992, following which he spent three years in jail. On the other hand, Tyson readily admits that his own immaturity has caused much of his downfalls in life. It is also interesting to hear the fallen boxer’s take on former ally Don King.

This documentary offers a rare glimpse into the mind of a very complex man. It is a very one-sided tale, as the only take on the matters we hear is Mike Tyson’s. That being said, since the man openly admits so many of his faults, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. In certain moments of the film, the director tried to illustrate the voices in Tyson’s head with all kinds of tricks, and that was a little distracting, as the subject can be hard to understand in the most perfect of circumstances. That said, Tyson is still a very compelling documentary film that is well worth seeing.

Rating: ««««