Tyson
“Iron” Mike turns into “Honest” Mike Tyson as he reflects on his life
Tags: Tyson Categories: DVD/TV Reviews, Reviews
Posted by Daniel "monk" Pelfrey on Aug 25th, 2009
I wasn’t prepared to see Mike Tyson tear up and get emotional, but when he talks about his first trainer, Cus D’Amato. There is an honesty throughout all of this documentary, which is essentially an extended interview with the boxer, that Mike Tyson displays that could be a bit disarming. Even as somebody who isn’t a fan of boxing, I found Tyson to hold a real human drama to be explored here that is given a very refreshing honesty that is completely compelling.
While Mike Tyson is honest with the viewer about himself, disarmingly so at times, it might also be surprising to hear how well spoken he is. In a way, it almost seems as if this is a man who was brought up in a rough way, finds a way out, has it come crashing down, and then spends a few years taking stock of his life, which may have also included some therapy.
Various aspects of Mike Tyson’s life could easily have been the focus of the full 90 minutes, such as the marriage to Robin Givens, the rape conviction, the infamous bite, and more. What we get is a broad view of his life with some intimate reflection. It doesn’t matter that he was a boxer, for it is this man’s life story that is the drama and center of attention here.
Tyson is a very interesting look at a man who has lived his entire adult life in the spotlight. As a man he wasn’t ready for what was handed to him, and looking back Mike Tyson is able to admit this. You really don’t need to love, hate, admire, respect or even know who Mike Tyson is to enjoy this documentary. It doesn’t try to force one view or another, instead it simply present Mike Tyson being honest about his life and lets the viewer judge.
A few special features help round out the Blu-ray. Tobak Talks Tyson spends just over 10 minutes with the director (apparently) answering questions at a screening of the film – interspersed with some clips to address certain points brought up. James Toback On The Big Picture Show is about 15 minutes of him addressing screening of the film as well as some promotional stuff. A Day With James Toback is about 16 minutes focusing on one day of the promotion of the film centering on the director. The audio commentary with James Toback covers much of what was revealed in the three previous featurettes, which already have a bunch of overlap. Still, for those that want to delve into how the film was made, there’s enough here to satisfy.
I wasn’t expecting Tyson to be as fascinating or engaging as it was. The honesty of the self-reflection of the documentary’s subject was startling and refreshing. Even if you’re not interested in Mike Tyson the boxer, you may find yourself fascinated by the story of Mike Tyson the man. I was.
| What Works | Score |
|---|---|
|
+ Fascinating + Honesty |
9.0 |
| What Doesn't | |
|
- Maybe a little too broad of scope for 90 minutes - Featurettes repeat content |
|
| Under the Shrink-wrap | |
| Even if you don't care for Mike Tyson or boxing, this will captivate you. | |
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Tags: Tyson
Posted by Daniel "monk" Pelfrey on Aug 25th, 2009 and is filed under DVD/TV Reviews, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can post a comment, or trackback from your own site.
