Tomorrow, on Saturday November 16, HBO will premiere the Spike Lee directed documentary “Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth” at 8 PM. 

I learned more about Mike Tyson watching “Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth” than I ever imagined. Directed by Spike Lee, “Undisputed Truth,” a one man show starring Mike Tyson, is a tell all of his life, his youth, his highs, his lows, and everything in between.

Spike Lee, who also directed the Broadway show as well as the national tour, doesn’t change the style for the film. All we have is Mike Tyson on a stage with an audience to sit there and listen. Just like every life story, Tyson starts at the beginning with his parents and the humor starts off right away. “Undisputed Truth” is Mike Tyson telling story after story and it’s better to hear it from him rather than have it butchered by me. To get to the main points, we get a glimpse into Mike’s relationship with his boxing manager and trainer Cus D’Amato, who took care of him and became his legal guardian after his mother passed away. D’Amato told Tyson he would become the youngest World Boxing Council heavyweight championship, and at 20 years and 4 months he was just that.

There are moments where Tyson does seem to rant on a bit and it gets a bit disturbing, but just as he goes off course he’s able to bring it back on track. One such moment involves a segment involving his relationship and marriage to Robin Givens and one funny tale involving a young, stoned Brad Pitt. He goes on to talk about his rape conviction and his prison sentence. What makes “Undisputed Truth” such a solid film is the fact that Tyson has accepted everything he has done and has accepted his past mistakes and can live with them. He can also do what many people cannot: he can laugh and joke about himself, with some of the best moments of the show being when he just bashes on himself.

For all of the funny and humorous moments though, there’s just as much sadness and despair that Mike let’s us all in on. He discusses the deaths of those closest to him like his mother, Cus, his sister Denise, and quite possibly the most tragic of all his nine year old daughter. Tyson’s heart is completely on his sleeve, and it’s this vulnerability that allows the audience to connect and empathize with him. For as colorful as Mike Tyson can be, the fact is he’s still just a man and he still feels just like everyone else.

When it comes down to it, “Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth” is a rare, honest, powerful telling of Mike Tyson’s told by the man himself. There are moments that could have used a bit more clarification and other moments that could have been cut out, but none of that really takes away from “The Undisputed Truth.” Fans of Mike Tyson are sure to love it while people who may just know Mike Tyson and not much else could find themselves intrigued and surprised by what Undisputed Truth has to offer.

Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth will be airing on HBO Saturday, November 16th at 8:00 P.M. ET, and it’s something you shouldn’t miss out on.

-Joshua Kaye