Tyson (2008)

A mixture of original interviews, archival footage, and photographs sheds light on the life experiences of Mike Tyson.

Director:

James Toback

Writer:

James Toback

Stars:

Mike Tyson, Mills Lane, Trevor Berbick

1 win & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mills Lane	...	Self (archive footage)
Mike Tyson	...	Self
Trevor Berbick	...	Self (archive footage)
Cus D'Amato	...	Self (archive footage)
William Cayton	...	Self (archive footage)
Jim Jacobs	...	Self (archive footage)
Joe Louis	...	Self (archive footage)
Max Schmeling	...	Self (archive footage)
Jack Dempsey	...	Self (archive footage)
Gene Tunney	...	Self (archive footage)
Rocky Marciano	...	Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali	...	Self (archive footage)
Carl Williams	...	Self (archive footage)
Larry Holmes	...	Self (archive footage)
Tyrell Biggs	...	Self (archive footage)

Storyline

Mike Tyson narrates his life story as a reaction to fear and as a resolution not to be bullied or humiliated as he was when a boy in Brooklyn's mean streets. He starts boxing while at a state detention center; his coach there sends him to Cus D'Amato who becomes trainer, father figure, and confidence builder. Tyson wins a series of championships and, for six years, is unbeatable. A failed marriage, a felony conviction, and lack of training lead to his fall. We see later losing fights and archive footage of other incidents in his life. Tyson concludes by speaking philosophically about being a father and trying to be a better person.

---

Plot Keywords:

boxing | reference to mike tyson | boxing champion | professional sports | retrospective | 

---

Taglines:

The man. The legend. The truth.

---

Genres:

Documentary | Biography | Sport

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language including sexual references

Did You Know?

Trivia

James Toback, who had known Mike Tyson since Tyson was 19, financed the film with his own funds and shot thirty hours of footage in the process.

---

Quotes

Mike Tyson: I was being either for brute strength or intimidation, most guys were pretty much intimidated, they lost the fight before they ever got hit. Most guys. I knew the art of skulduggery, beat these guys psychologically before I ever got in the ring with them.

---

Connections

Referenced in Chelsea Lately: Episode #6.94 (2012)

---

Soundtracks

Legendary
Written by NaS
Performed by NaS

User Reviews

Iron Mike - for real.

What a great documentary. For anyone who likes boxing, this is a must-see. You hear Mike talking, almost non-stop, throughout giving numerous details about his personal life. The techniques used to present the film were terrific, though it does require you to pay attention; at several points, Toback runs multiple moving split-screens - it's an interesting device as you are forced to "follow" the dialog as one screen box goes quiet as another picks up where it left off.

The fight footage is incredible. I felt like I was watching all this footage again for the first time.

Throughout, the viewer is given access to a side of Tyson I doubt any but his closest friends and associates have ever witnessed. At many points he chokes up, fighting back tears - it's an amazing thing to watch.

And there's a lot of laughs. I won't reveal them, but there is some really funny stuff.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA France

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 May 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tyson: The Movie

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$85,046, 26 April 2009

Gross USA:

$887,918

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$964,920

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fyodor Productions, Defiance Entertainment, Green Room Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color