Mike Tyson is the subject and executive producer of this docu-biography, which – dare we say it?
– really packs a punch. In Tyson, the ultimate tough guy describes growing up on the mean streets of New York, where his first bout was over one of his pet pigeons. Constant bullying coupled with his life of broken homes, crime, and correctional facilities honed his fighting skills, and an unusual tenacity and willingness to learn from the champs contributed to his impulse to destroy opponents with rapid-fire punches in the boxing ring. Filmmaker James Toback (Two Girls and a Guy, Black and White), tracks Tyson’s rise to the big time and his fall from grace as personal struggles –- including multiple marriages and a rape conviction -– make him lose almost everything. For all of his bad luck, Tyson feels like a victim. (He says he had to bite off Evander Holyfield’s ear to stop his humiliating head-butts.) Always game for a rematch, the champ is currently enjoying a second wind — he was the toast of the town when Tyson played at Sundance this year. What’s he up to these days?
