Platicsco
Good story, Not enough for a whole film
SeeQuant
Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction
Humaira Grant
It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
beierfilms
Remember in Raging Bull when Jake tries his hand at the comedy clubs? Remember how painfully awkward those scenes where? Well Jake is freaking Richard Pryor compared to Mike Tyson in his one man show. It's just painful to watch as tries to get a laugh or tell a meaningful story. I remember once seeing a drunken guy try to do stand up in an open mic night. He'd lose focus and then suddenly start swearing and say he was going to "beat the ****" out of someone. Mike's show reminded me so much of the drunken stand-up that it was frightening. I couldn't help but wonder why HBO even bothered to air this. I've never been a Tyson fan but I started watching this in hopes that there was more to this guy than I thought. Well, to him then the angry thug we've all seen but, if he is a deeper guy, this show certainly doesn't showcase that.
Jonathon Natsis
Renowned sports fanatic, basketball tragic and occasional loudmouth Spike Lee swaps the hardwood of Madison Square Garden for the velvet curtains of Broadway, and Mike Tyson swaps sweaty mitts for a shiny mic in Undisputed Truth, a taping of one of Tyson's one-man shows in which he candidly shares the highs, lows, jokes and traumas of his colourful and exorbitant life.You don't earn this many nicknames without having a natural and all-consuming charisma and Mike Tyson, alias 'Iron Mike', alias 'Champ', alias 'The baddest man on the planet,' has it in droves. He tells the story the only way it can possibly be told, not with stereotypically bearded and bespectacled talking heads, or bland and well-worn archive footage, but with a youthful enthusiasm that truly captures the man he is: one with many faults but who oozes passion and a pursuit of excellence.Tyson's storytelling is a little sloppy and often erratic, but certainly never boring. Those looking for a well-balanced discussion of some of the most scrutinised moments of his life may find Undisputed Truth to be as shallow and self-serving as any predictable, studio-sanctioned biopic. But Iron Mike doesn't care. If he wants to explicitly denounce Don King, call his ex-wife a demonic, rabid golddigger or recall the time he didn't know what to do with Brad Pitt – the details of which are far too sordid for publication – then that's exactly what the Champ will do.His tale isn't all slander and street fights though, as some genuinely touching moments come through in his remembrance of fallen friends and family. If there was something admirable about the brash, violent young man who turned sheer rage into inconceivable success, then there's just as much to like about the reflective, repentant man he has become, both traits of which are displayed in equal measure in this engrossing narrative.*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*
jimlacy2003
The good thing about it looks like Mike cleaned up his act a lot. Other then that thought this was terrible! So much so I walked out after about 20 minutes of the show.Boring, pretentious, pompous, felt very staged and rehearsed (as opposed to being natural). Hard to call something the "truth" when someone else obviously writes the lines for you; and then you follow it like a parrot (as this appeared to be).Also a lot of the material was racist. When a "comedian" has to resort mainly to dirty and racist jokes, it's usually done in lieu of talent, skill, or creativity. I'm not talking about those that do/did it well like Eddy Murphy, Richard Prior, Red Fox, etc., as you know when they do they got a lot more going for them.Don't waste time on this one. There are much better biographic comedies out there to see instead.
Mr X
The material is uneven, but you can sort of feel him in there, his spirit, where he came from, big moments, not all necessarily original but he can be surprisingly funny! I laughed quite a lot (that whole Mitch ongoing story was really a blast), and I'm no fan of the guy, not even as a boxer really. But he is M. Tyson, he's an icon. He's also a man who has to come to age and reflect on his life, as we all do, and personally I think Lee was able to bring some order to this chaotic man on stage, and make it interesting for the viewer. You have to give the man a break really. He was, and in many ways still is, somewhat a brute, struggling with his past, trying to make sense out of it. But it takes guts to do this and come out. It's really not a fact finding mission as in a documentary piece, despite the title - you get themes with some media support and varying levels of engagement from Tyson, from the very personal to the somewhat detached. On the whole I found it was pretty successful. Who would have thought?
