Netflix’s documentary,Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem,provides a new insight into the political scandals surrounding a Toronto mayor and what happened in the aftermath of his downfall. Directed by Shianne Browne,Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhemexplores the career of the Canadian politician and businessman, Rob Ford, who began his career as a city councilor for Toronto before being elected to serve as the 64th Mayor of Toronto between 2010 and 2014. In 2013, he was the subject of significant media attention following accusations of drug use during his time in office, which heavily impacted his mayoral career.
Mayor of Mayhemis the latest installment inNetflix’s large catalog of documentariesand the latest entry in Netflix’sTrainwreckseries, after coverage of Woodstock 1999 andthe Astroworld Tragedy.Mayor of Mayhemfollows Rob Ford’s initially steady political career throughout the 2000s, his election as Mayor of Toronto in 2010, how he responded to the 2013 drug accusations, and what happened after his time as mayor. Through archival footage and interviews with friends and colleagues,Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhemexplores the highs and lows of Rob Ford’s time as Mayor of Torontoand what happened after the media scandal that affected his career.
Mayor of Mayhem Follows Rob Ford’s Downfall After Drug Scandal
A Video Of Rob Ford Smoking Crack Cocaine Was Released In 2013
ThroughoutTrainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem,Rob Ford’s friends and political colleagues speak about the early stages of his career and what inspired him to enter politics. According to executive assistant Tom Beyer,Ford was inspired to enter politics by his father, Doug Ford, Senior,who was described by Beyer as “very strict on his kids.“Beyer also stated that Ford"was always to […] please his father in many ways,“through his work as Ward 2 Etobicoke North City Councilor. During his work as councilor, Ford was assisted by his brothers, Michael and Doug Junior, and gained a reputation for his passionate speeches during council (viaThe Globe and Mail).
In 2010, Rob Ford ran for and was elected Mayor of Toronto, with a voting percentage of 47.1% over his two main competitors, George Smitherman and Joe Pantalone. According toA Bit More Detail,the 2010 election had the highest voter turnout in the post-amalgamation history of Toronto. Ford’s first year as mayor saw his council repeal a vehicle registration tax and declare that transit workers were an essential service. However, Ford’s personality and brash attitude left many people feeling uneasy. One city councilor, John Filion, stated in the Netflix documentary that Ford was “so aggressive that a lot of people didn’t want to sit near him.”
The Toronto Starinvestigative journalist Robyn Doolittle revealed thatshe was shown a video of Ford snorting crack cocaine through a pipe.
InMayorofMayhem,The Toronto Starinvestigative journalist Robyn Doolittle revealed thatshe was shown a video of Ford snorting crack cocaine through a pipe. However, Doolittle turned down an offer to buy the video for $100,000 as the publication “doesn’t buy news.“A few weeks later,Gawkerpublished the video and an image of Ford with alleged drug dealers. The release of the image and video led to media attention directed towards Ford and debates about whether or not the footage was real.
What Happened To Rob Ford After His Scandal
Ford Eventually Admitted To Using Cocaine After Repeated Public Denials
Following the release of the video, there was major speculation about how Ford would publicly respond to the scandal. Through archival footage inTrainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem,Ford is shown holding a live press conference, where he denied the allegations, stating, “I did not use crack cocaine, nor am I an addict of crack cocaine.“He also denied the existence of the video. However, in November 2013, at another press conference,Ford admitted to having smoked crack cocaine, but maintained that he was not an addict. Following the allegations, Ford was fired from his role as a football coach at Don Brisco Catholic Secondary School (viaThe Toronto Star).
Ford entered rehab for two months to receive treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, later stating that it"saved [his] life.”
Following Rob Ford’s admission to having used crack cocaine, there was speculation over whether he would step down as Mayor of Toronto; although Ford ultimately refused to step down, it was announced that Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly would take over Ford’s duties for the remainder of his term (viaCBC News). In April 2014, Ford entered rehab for two months to receive treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, later stating that it “saved [his] life”(viaBBC).After completing his stint in rehab,Ford announced his return to politics with initial plans to run for re-election as mayor; however, in September 2014, he withdrew from the election due to health reasons.
Rob Ford Was Diagnosed With Cancer & Died In 2016
Ford Remained Working As Toronto City Councilor Until His Death
Despite his initial plans to run for Mayor of Toronto a second time, Rob Ford pulled out of the election after announcing that he had been diagnosed with an abdominal tumor that was later determined to be cancerous. It was later announced thatFord had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called pleomorphic liposarcoma.Following chemotherapy treatments, he underwent successful surgery in May 2015, to remove the tumor (viaGlobal News). During his treatment, Ford regained his former position as Toronto City Councilor for Ward 2 Etobicoke North and announced his intention to run for mayor again in 2018.
InTrainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem, Ford was shown to have strong support from the public during his second run as Toronto City Councilor. But in 2015, Ford’s brother, Doug, announced that Ford had been diagnosed with a second cancerous tumor in his bladder (viaThe Toronto Star). Despite his illness,Ford refused to step down as city councilor and continued to work while receiving treatment. In the Netflix documentary, Tom Beyer stated that Ford “would never, ever admit defeat, even with cancer"and was determined to beat it “like he had beaten everything else.”
In the Netflix documentary, Ford was shown being interviewed for World Cancer Day, where he stated that he was “taking one day at a time” regarding his illness.
Although he underwent chemotherapy, in March 2016, it was announced that the treatment had been unsuccessful and Ford was admitted to a hospital for further health analysis (viaCP24). In the Netflix documentary, Ford was shown being interviewed for World Cancer Day, where he stated that he was"taking one day at a time"regarding his illness.On August 16, 2025, Rob Ford died from complications of cancer at Mount Sinai Hospital at the age of 46. He was survived by his wife, Renata, and two children.
What The Mayor Of Mayhem Documentary Leaves Out
The Documentary Mainly Focuses On Ford’s Cocaine Abuse Scandal & Downfall
Netflix’sTrainwreck: Mayor of Mayhemhas been described by critics as a documentary that provides a harrowing insight into Rob Ford’s tumultuous political career and the troubles that he faced in both his professional and his personal life (viaTIME). Ford’s special assistant, Jerry Agyemang, stated that he felt the documentary was “able to give people an inside look” into the person Ford was throughout his life. Butwhile the Netflix documentary keeps a strong focus on Ford’s cocaine scandal, it fails to look into other aspects of his life, including domestic disputes with his wife that took place between 2008 and 2013 (viaToronto Star).
It is believed that his father’s death in 2006 led to Ford turning to crack cocaine and intensifying his alcohol addiction.
The documentary also only briefly mentions Ford’s other legal troubles, including arrests for drug possession and public intoxication, and doesn’t properly examine his controversial statements made during his political career (viaThe Guardian). Although Rob Ford’s relationship with his father is briefly mentioned, the Netflix documentary doesn’t examine how Doug Ford Senior’s death impacted his son and his mental health; it is believed that his father’s death in 2006 led to Ford turning to crack cocaine and intensifying his alcohol addiction (viaToronto Life).Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhemgave a strong look into Rob Ford’s political career, but there was a lot more that the Netflix documentary could have explored.
Sources:The Globe and Mail,A Bit More Detail,The Toronto Star(1),CBC News,BBC,Global News,The Toronto Star(2),CP24,TIME,The Toronto Star(3),The Guardian,Toronto Life,
Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem
Cast
A brash Toronto city councillor shocks the political establishment by winning the mayoral race, only to spiral into scandal as his term unfolds.
