Inside Netflix's new documentary about Rob Ford, Toronto's ‘Mayor of Mayhem'
In 2013, Shianne Brown started seeing his name everywhere. A Canadian mayor, at the centre of a scandal after being caught smoking crack on video, became sudden internet fodder.
She didn't know who he was. Only that something wild was happening in a city across the Atlantic Ocean, and, for some reason, it was making waves in England.
'This viral man,' she said, 'he was larger than life.'
More than a decade later, Brown is the director of a new Netflix documentary unpacking the life and legacy of that viral story: Rob Ford, Toronto's 64th mayor.
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The Netflix documentary, 'Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem,' chronicles Ford's rise and the scandals that surfaced during his time in office. It's the second of an anthology series exploring events that dominated headlines worldwide, following 'Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy,' which premiered on June 10.
Ford died of cancer in 2016. He was 46.
'I think that this story can tell us something about that time,' Brown said. 'And it also kind of informs where politics is today all around the world, not just in Toronto.'
Television
A Rob Ford documentary is coming to Netflix this summer. Here's what it's about
Directed by Shianne Brown, 'Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem' will arrive on June 17, chronicling Ford's shocking rise to Toronto mayor and the
Television
A Rob Ford documentary is coming to Netflix this summer. Here's what it's about
Directed by Shianne Brown, 'Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem' will arrive on June 17, chronicling Ford's shocking rise to Toronto mayor and the
After establishing herself as a director and producer drawn to the intersection of politics and social history with well-received films 'Erased: WW2's Heroes of Colour' and 'Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World,' Brown wondered what project was next. She then remembered the international media frenzy that erupted during Ford's time as mayor and wanted to look beyond the headlines, at the man in the centre of the storm.
Soon after, she and a team of producers went to work.
They started production for 'Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem' around March 2024 and landed on the voices they wanted to incorporate in the documentary. She said they contacted Ford's brother, Ontario premier Doug Ford, for the film, but he didn't want to take part.
Still, the documentary offers an inside look at Ford's rise and fall through voices from many corners of his life — from former chief of staff Mark Towhey, executive assistant Tom Beyer and special assistant Jerry Agyemang, to journalists like former Star reporter Robyn Doolittle and city hall reporter David Rider.
The documentary spotlights Ford's hostile relationship with the media, capturing moments of him clashing with local reporters.
Steve Russell/ Toronto Star file photo
Through making the documentary, Brown said she learned Ford was a 'complex character' who resonated with people by taking a grassroots approach.
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In one scene, Ford strolls through an apartment, asking if anyone is having trouble with their unit. In another, at his funeral, Doug Ford recalls the time his brother — while mayor — delivered a sub to a Mr. Sub customer after a worker didn't have an available driver. Moments like these, Brown says, show how Ford connected with voters.
'I feel that we all love the underdog. He was an underdog,' she said. 'He wasn't a part of that David Miller establishment. He was kind of like an outsider to it all.'
Even years after his time as mayor, Ford remains a hot topic in the city, which surprised Brown as she got further into his journey.
Edward Keenan: Toronto still lives in the shadow of Rob Ford
Some still criticize his politics. Some never liked his decisions. But, beyond the headlines, some also see the human: 'A man struggling with addiction,' Brown said.
'He was a representation of Toronto on the international stage, so I can see both sides,' she said. 'But I was really amazed and surprised at how much influence he still has today.'
The deeper Brown dug, the more she found. The more footage. The more chaos. The more Ford outbursts. All of that she found intensified when two Star reporters viewed a video — three times — of him smoking crack in 2013 and reports quickly spread.
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The documentary spotlights Ford's hostile relationship with the media, capturing moments of him clashing with local reporters. It highlights Ford's firm belief, even behind the scenes, that a video of him smoking crack didn't exist.
A infamous punchline for late-night talk shows, Ford quickly became a notorious public figure. But Brown hopes the audience comes away from the documentary with a deeper understanding of who Ford was.
'The crack scandal was huge, that's what a lot of people know him for,' Brown said. 'But hopefully in this film, I'm showing that there's more to the story than the crack video.'
At the end of the film, Brown — from behind the camera — asks interviewees what they think Ford's legacy is. They pause for a short moment and think. Then, the words roll in.
'Dishonest.' 'Smart.' 'Outspoken.' 'Selfless.' 'Exploitative.' 'Unpredictable.'
Her answer?
'I think Rob represents something in all humans ... and (how) nobody's perfect,' she said. 'But the scandals speak for themselves — and it makes things a bit interesting.'
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