Doug Ford slams 'scumbags' behind movie inspired by Rob Ford's crack scandal
There’s a new movie coming out that’s loosely based on Rob Ford, but the former mayor of Toronto’s brother doesn’t sound too excited about it.
“It’s not even accurate, even the trailer, people getting shot. You’ve got to be kidding,” former city councillor Doug Ford told Toronto radio station Newstalk 1010 Tuesday, the same station where the Ford brothers once hosted a weekly radio show.
“It’s outside of Rob had that issue, went and got help, I was proud of him. After that, a loss of life, so it’s hurtful.”
The Canadian-made film Filth City is supposed to be a dramatic re-telling of the former mayor’s highly-publicized crack cocaine scandal and the media circus that surrounded it. The movie is set to be released on March 25, three days after the one year anniversary of Rob Ford’s death, and not everyone seems ready to take a walk down memory lane with a story that comes with a fictional spin on events.
Doug Ford sees it as a low blow to the memory of his brother and political ally, who he replaced during the 2014 mayoral race.
“There’s always scumbags out there that are going to do this and try to profit off anything they can,” he told Newstalk 1010.
The Ford family had a tumultuous few years between Rob Ford being elected mayor of Toronto in 2010, his cancer diagnosis in 2014 and his death in 2016.
Just before launching a re-election campaign for a second term as mayor, a story surfaced in May 2013 about Rob Ford being caught on film smoking crack cocaine in a house full of drug traffickers. It was published on the website Gawker and in the Toronto Star.
Though the footage could not be acquired, both articles claimed that reporters had in fact seen the video multiple times in person. A media circus for the ages ensued. In October 2013, Bill Blair — Toronto’s police chief at the time — revealed to the media that he had seen the video, confirming it existed.
These events were the inspiration for Filth City, which features an overweight man with a four-letter last name running for mayor in a city called York, which happens to be what Toronto was called before it took its current name.
The film’s tagline pulls no punches, saying: “The crime rate is high, so is the mayor.”
WARNING: The movie trailer below may contain offensive content.
The late mayor’s wife says she’s not surprised to see how Doug Ford reacted to the movie.
“He is always so protective of Rob. That’s Doug,” Renata Ford explained to the Toronto Sun, adding that she doubts her husband would have cared about the film or his portrayal in it.
“There were so many videos out there that were not good that I doubt this one would make a difference.”
She said life without her husband has been difficult and that her children probably won’t see the film, though even if they do, “it will not influence their love for their father.”
The film is also raising tensions on social media. Some people argue it is in poor taste to release a film about someone’s drug problem after they have died, whereas other seem to show little sympathy for the mayor who made headlines worldwide.
Reply to @CityNews I disagreed with everything Rob Ford stood for but this movie is cowardly and in very poor taste
— Univrsle (@univrsle) March 8, 2017
@CityNews I wasn't going to see it, but I will now in light of Doug's recommendation.
— northernrunner (@northernrunner) March 8, 2017
@CityNews Can't wait to see this movie. For all the haters out there…it's a f**king movie. RELAX! plus, Ford was a tool..we ALL know it!
— Innocentuntilproven (@MrTruth69) March 8, 2017
There’s even a minor feud brewing between Doug Ford and Andy King, the film’s director, according to Global News reporter Cindy Pom.
Doug Ford called the director & writer of new #RobFord movie "scumbags". In response, director Andy King calls him a "d bag" pic.twitter.com/lUTpP1zXa9
— Cindy Pom (@CindyPom) March 8, 2017