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The Review - AT THE MOVIES with DAN CARRIER
Published: 26 March 2009

Mike Tyson in the boxing ring

Glove and hate story of Tyson

TYSON
Directed byJames Toback
Certificate 15

ANYONE who has watched Muhammed Ali in action will scoff at the idea that Mike Tyson is the greatest heavyweight the world has ever seen.
But strip away the romance, block your ears to Ali’s pronouncements, and forget about how much he wound up white racists during the Civil Rights era. If you look at the sheer brute force contained within Tyson’s stocky frame, it’s an interesting question as to whether Ali would have survived a pummelling from Tyson’s powerful fists.
And although Tyson’s stock has long hit the canvas, this documentary reveals the demons haunting this 41-year-old bruiser.
From his first title aged 20 – he walloped Trevor Berbick in the second round of a Vegas fight so hard that he didn’t get up – the bruiser from Brooklyn was clearly ready to show he was the world’s best, and enjoy the benefits of such a title.
And who could blame him? He was in and out of reform school as a child, until the legendary trainer Cus D’Amato took him under his wing. Then came the bouquets and plaudits, stacks of cash, hangers-on and lavish spending on tigers in the garden, stretch limos in the drive and a bevy of girlfriends.
He seems to be clean now, having won his a battle against drink and drugs. He is humble when he confronts his addictions, perhaps helped by the fact much of the interviews were filmed while he was in rehab. His quiet, lispy voice also adds to the feeling that “Iron Mike” Tyson is essentially a little boy trapped in one hell of a body.
He is fascinating to look at. His physique at his peak was such that it held the gaze in a way Michelangelo would have been proud.
Littered with clips of the fighter in action, Tyson is astonishing – even if you hate boxing, there is something sickeningly watchable seeing him perform.
It prompts the realisation of how remarkable Tyson’s story is. How did someone who appears to be so lacking in discipline in many areas of his life develop as the world’s hardest heavyweight? The answer lies somewhere in the ramblings captured in this very watchable film.
The problems in his mind are approached gently, and there is an air of sympathy over some of his behaviour. Despite this, it is not a rosy attempt at understanding how the poverty of his upbringing produced the Tyson Monster.

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