Tyson

Although former heavyweight boxing champion “Iron” Mike Tyson, a gifted if savage fighter, has long been out of the spotlight, the recent tragic death of his four-year-old daughter put Tyson back in the headlines. Director James Toback's compelling biographical documentary Tyson will no doubt validate the opinions of some who consider the fighter to be an animal, but for all of his myriad flaws and failures, Tyson still thinks and feels and longs like other human beings. Tyson unhesitatingly admits to having a troubled youth—his stints in juvie, his career as a mugger, his constant grappling with the chaos of a dysfunctional upbringing—while also readily agreeing that he's captive to a variety of demons, including those that compelled him to abuse women and treat his ring opponents (most famously Evander Holyfield) like pieces of meat. In fact, Tyson cops to practically every awful thing we've ever heard or read about him, with one notable exception: he maintains his innocence of the 1991 rape charge that sent him to prison for three years. Tyson is no whitewash job, but rather a powerful and surprisingly intriguing three-dimensional portrait of a controversial figure. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director James Toback, “A Day with James Toback” featurette (16 min.), “The Big Picture Show” interview with Toback (13 min.), the additional interview segment “Iron Mike: Toback Talks Tyson” (12 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for an interesting documentary.] (E. Hulse)