What does Mike Tyson think about? Rising from a difficult childhood to global fame as the world's youngest heavyweight champion and finding notoriety outside the ring — including a 1992 rape conviction, drug abuse and the tragic loss of his 4-year-old daughter this week — the man once known as "Iron Mike" is difficult to decipher. In the documentary Tyson, director James Toback offers a striking portrayal of the icon in his own words, exploring everything from his early years with trainer Cus D'Amato, to his darker times during marital problems with Robin Givens, the ear-biting of Evander Holyfield and the three years in jail that changed him forever.
Using a split-screen style, audio looping and hands-off interview technique, Tyson is a visually compelling glimpse at an enigma. As the film goes wide in theaters, TVGuide.com spoke with Toback about his long friendship with Tyson, why he made the film at this juncture and what he thinks of the media's view of the boxing champ variably as a hero and a monster.
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