The film’s structure gets too repetitive and aimless but ends with a beautiful moment of symmetry when Doug Ford appears in a very brief role to pick up Rob’s Trans Am and drive off.
Ford came straight from council to the Varsity VIP cinema for the screening, wearing his now-characteristic Adidas track suit (black top, white pants), and was warmly received by the crowd. Smiciklas explained the film we were about to see was 85 per cent finished, with sound and titles still being finalized. There was a chance that Ford would only stay for the first few minutes in case he needed to go home to rest, but he wound up staying past his cameo all the way to the end, and came up to the front for a post-show Q&A. It was Rob’s first time seeing the film and he enjoyed it, adding “it’s a great film, it really shows Toronto…it’s a lot of humour, a lot of swearing, a lot of sex.” He hastened to add that he would probably only allow his children to see just the beginning part with him in it, because otherwise “this is not appropriate to the kids.” Unfortunately for Hollywood, Ford intends to concentrate on his work at city hall with an eye on the 2018 election.