It’s Netflix’s “summer of disaster,” with the streamer rolling out a new documentary each week under the Trainwreck anthology banner. Each of the eight films revisits a real-life event that spiraled out of control, from music festival tragedies to viral hoaxes and reality TV fiascos. These stories dominated headlines at the time, and now each of the installments give the ugly tales a deeper dive. At TV and City, we’re covering them all.
Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem hits Netflix on June 17.
By Elazar Abrahams
Toronto’s 2010 mayoral election was already a circus, but few could have predicted just how chaotic Rob Ford’s tenure as mayor would become. Widely dismissed as a buffoonish longshot candidate, Ford stunned Canada’s political establishment by winning the race and taking office in North America’s fourth-largest city. His populist persona and everyman appeal masked deep personal struggles, which soon exploded into the public eye. The infamous crack cocaine video scandal made international headlines, but Ford’s troubles went far beyond that one viral moment. Allegations of corruption, drug use, bullying, and erratic behavior turned his mayoralty into an ongoing spectacle, culminating in his withdrawal from reelection due to cancer, which would ultimately take his life.
Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem is a definite step up from the Astroworld installment, if only because the story it tells is less familiar to many American viewers. While the crack video was international news, the full scope of Ford’s disastrous time in office may be eye-opening for those outside Canada. The documentary is particularly compelling when it draws parallels to our current political climate. In many ways, Ford feels like a prototype for figures like Donald Trump — a brash demagogue who weaponized anti-media sentiment and built a devoted base by playing the victim.
That said, the documentary is still not a great one. Clocking in at under an hour, it barely scratches the surface of Ford’s complex and troubling story. Oddly, it seems to want to play both sides, hesitating to fully critique Ford despite ample evidence of his misconduct. The absence of Ford himself, who passed away shortly after his term ended, leaves a notable gap, though the film does acknowledge this.
Ultimately, Mayor of Mayhem is worth watching for those unfamiliar with the full saga, or for viewers interested in the ongoing rise of populist politics. It’s an entertaining installment, if not a fully satisfying one.
I give Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem a B-.
TV and City 