Thursday, February 16, 2012

ESPN Films 30 for 30: The Two Escobars Review

ESPN Films 30 for 30: The Two Escobars
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Well this was simply a fine film that captivated me from beginning to end. Broken down into essentially two parts (Pablo & Andres) it weaves a tale that is simultaneously grotesque and inspiring. That Colombia could be so united by it's soccer/football team is a testament to hope and a proud culture. This film incorporates numerous poignant interviews (both historic and contemporary) of former players, government officials, former drug traffickers, former Colombian soccer federation officials, and close friends and family of the two Escobars. You feel as though you are receiving the true story from the horses mouth, so to speak. And maybe, just maybe, we actually are.
'The Two Escobars' is essential viewing if only for it's presentation of the facts associated with the Andres Escobar murder that have been muddled by misinformation (which I too have been guilty of believing). The film even goes so far as to elude to Andres death not being related to drug cartel retaliation at all. But the truth may, in fact, be uglier and more of an indictment on the horrific and terrifying society of the time.
This film is worth your attention whether you are a fan of football, a fan of documentaries, a fan of history, or simply a fan of learning about people and cultures. It's not a feel-good movie on the surface, but if you know the Colombia of today it would be impossible not to feel good about how far this country has come since the turbulent times portrayed in this film.
On a personal note, I recently spent 5 months of my life in Colombia teaching English and I will say that Colombians are some of the friendliest and happiest people I have met anywhere on this Earth during my travels. Not only that but Bogota, where I spent the majority of my time, did not feel unsafe except in the deepest hours of the night and only really in the dodgier areas. But while there I never spoke with anyone to any great extent about the past, two decades ago when the country was a world away from the security it enjoys today. This film provides a glimpse into that tumultuous time when fear and paranoia clearly gripped every man, woman, and child in the country. It's the best history lesson I've ever watched!
See it!!! It's not really just a good ESPN program, it is actually a fine feature film (clocking in at 103 captivating minutes). I would honestly not be surprised if this is nominated for an Oscar. This is as good of a sports documentary as you are ever likely to see and is up there in the pantheon of the greats with documentary films like 'Hoop Dreams'.

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While rival drug cartels warred in the streets and the country's murder rate climbed to highest in the world, the Colombian national soccer team set out to blaze a new image for their country. What followed was a mysteriously rapid rise to glory, as the team catapulted out of decades of obscurity to become one of the best teams in the world. Central to this success were two men named Escobar: Andrés, the inspirational captain of the National Team, and Pablo, the infamous drug baron who pioneered the phenomenon known in the underworld as "Narco-soccer."A favorite to win the 1994 World Cup, the Columbians never made it out of the first round.In the 35th minute of the team's game against the United States, Andres scored an own goal, costing his team a shot at the title and his nation's chance to transform its image on the international stage.Less than ten days later, he was shot 12 times, gunned down outside a bar in a suburb of Medellin. An official selection at the Tribeca and Los Angeles Film Festivals, and an official selection at Cannes' Cinema de la Plage, award-winning directors Jeff Zimbalist and Michael Zimbalist examine the mysterious events surrounding Andres' tragic death with this intense thriller about the intersection of crime and sport.
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