Tyson

2008 Documentary

Assembled from over 30 hours of interviews with the controversial heavyweight champion, director James Toback takes the helm for a feature-length documentary exploring the life and career of self-destructive pugilist Mike Tyson. From his early years under the wing of famed boxing promoter Don King to his notorious match against Evander Holyfield and his conviction on sexual assault charges, Tyson's turbulent life is explored in the kind of comprehensive manner that could only have been made possible with the subject's willing participation.

Director: James Toback

Reviews

  • A documentary with no pretense of objectivity. Here is Mike Tyson's story in his own words, and it is surprisingly persuasive.

    Roger Ebert - The Chicago Sun-Times

    11 May 2013

  • Toback has found a documentary subject as tragic and ridiculous, as bizarre and driven, as the heroes of his other films.

    Mick LaSalle - The San Francisco Chronicle

    11 May 2013

  • You won't know what hit you after watching Tyson. This power punch to the gut is one of the best movies of any kind this year.

    Peter Travers - Rolling Stone

    11 May 2013

  • Terrifically compelling and, more than that, unexpectedly moving.

    Ty Burr - The Boston Globe

    11 May 2013

  • What's so affecting about him in the film, though, is that he doesn't seem monstrous at all. To the contrary, Iron Mike, having meted out epic suffering in the ring and other venues, seems to be a man who has suffered genuinely, even terribly, in the course of a life that he never believed would last 40 years.

    Joe Morgenstern - The Wall Street Journal

    11 May 2013

Awards

  • Best Documentary

    Black Reel Awards (2010)

     
  • James Toback

    Cannes Film Festival (2008)

  • Best Documentary

    Chicago Film Critics Association Awards (2009)

     
  • James Toback

    Gotham Awards (2009)

     
  • Best Non-Fiction Film

    National Society of Film Critics Awards (2010)