Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem Review: Rob Ford’s unexpected candidacy in the 2010 Toronto mayoral election was met with confusion and light-hearted jokes when no one expected him to win. However, when he does win by a landslide, his administration soon falls apart with allegations of hard drug use resulting in an avalanche of scandals to fall out of the closet.
-
Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem Director
Shianne Brown
-
Production Companies
RAW and BBH
Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem has a runtime of 49 minutes.
Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem Review
Rob Ford’s mayoral campaign in Toronto was nothing short of a whirlwind of drama. Ford started off with a ton of public support thanks to his favourable relationship with grassroot-level voters and his generally relatable public image, although his fellow councillors shared a very different relationship with him. Either way, his public image was impeccable, which got him elected as the Mayor of Toronto from December 1, 2010 – November 30, 2014.
The documentary does a fantastic job of showcasing not just his scandals but also the sheer love and adoration that he received from his followers before, during and after his mayoral run. The fast-paced chronicle of Ford’s life and works not only makes you gasp but also takes an oddly sympathetic approach to it, considering Ford died in the midst of his reelection campaign on March 22, 2016.
The film delivers not just shock and awe at the metoric (and public) fall of one of Canada’s most interesting character in politics, but also puts forth a sobering political commentary that will hit you thoroughly. The documentary spans his entire run and condenses everything to a bite-sized runtime, giving us the points of views of those who were close to Ford or involved in his political campaign in one way or another. It’s an interesting watch, especially for those who want to know the scandal and its fallout but don’t want to get too deep into the politics.
However, that is also one of my complaints about the documentary film. It provides a surface-level exploration of Ford’s politics and personal life and doesn’t try to go into the “how” or the “why” of it all. I couldn’t wrap my head around why a man, who seemingly really cared about the people around him, would do crack cocaine and become an alcoholic. Was he always an alcoholic and people just didn’t notice? Or did it start before? There are several other questions that the film doesn’t answer and that made the documentary feel a bit half-baked.
That being said, I think Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem is an interesting and entertaining watch that makes us think for a bit. There are some complex and nuanced issues underneath it all that the film doesn’t explore but one that we cannot ignore regardless. As a viewer, I somehow felt both sympathetic for and annoyed at Rob Ford somehow and maybe that’s the entire point of a larger-than-life character like him. There are several subtleties here that I think could’ve been explored but regardless, at 49 minutes, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable watch.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed watching Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem and couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in Rob Ford’s life that could’ve facilitated such decisions, considering the love and adoration that he got from his followers. It made me wonder how little we know about the people around us – who knows what demons everyone is carrying with them.
Also Read: Trainwreck Anthology Reviews