Director James Toback takes an unflinching, uncompromising look at the life of Mike Tyson--almost solely from the perspective of the man himself. TYSON alternates between the controversial boxer addressing the camera and shots of the champion's fights to create an arresting picture of the man.
Direction
Toback lets Tyson build and unravel himself
Editing
Fight footage cuts like a boxer—sudden, brutal
Acting
Tyson performs his own tragedy, knowingly or not
Director
James Toback
Mike Tyson
Self
Cus D'Amato
Self - Trainer/Manager
Don King
Self - Promotor
Robin Givens
Self - Ex-Wife
Mills Lane
Self
Evander Holyfield
Self
Lennox Lewis
Self
Trevor Berbick
Self (archive footage)
James Douglas
Self (archive footage)
Frank Bruno
Self
Angelo Dundee
Self
Muhammad Ali
Self (archive footage)
Sonny Liston
Self (archive footage)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Toback and Tyson were friends for 20 years before filming; Tyson only agreed because he owed Toback money from a gambling debt.
The film premiered at Cannes 2008—Tyson received a 10-minute standing ovation while sobbing, then partied with Lars von Trier.
US
