ESPN Films 30 for 30: The Two Escobars

Awesome

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'.

When I heard last year that ESPN Films' 30 for 30 series would include "The Two Escobars," I was most intrigued. I was fairly familiar with the story of Colombian cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar and Colombian soccer (football) star Andres Escobar (no relation). I vividly remember watching on TV the USA-Colombia match at the 1994 FIFA World Cup at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, when Andres Escobar's own goal opened the scoring in the USA's 2-1 win that knocked Colombia -- a pre-tournament favorite to win it all -- out of the competition. I also remember the shock when I heard a few days later of Andres' murder in Medellin by a fan angry at that loss.Seeing "The Two Escobars" on ESPN last summer brought back those memories and really enlightened me on what it was like in Colombia in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Pablo Escobar's Medellin cartel was defying the Colombian government and helping Medellin side Atletico Nacional reach national and continental prominence. Also, it filled me in on Andres Escobar's story -- a Medellin native who emerged as a star for Atletico Nacional and became Colombia's captain. This story of the intertwining of these two men fascinated me to no end. Naturally, I had to buy this DVD when it was up for sale here.Directors Jeff Zimbalist and Michael Zimbalist did a lot of digging to analysis to put together this story on film. Interviews with Andres Escobar's family, teammates, coaches, and with Colombian journalists and officials do much to flesh out the details of Andres' and Pablo's lives and the events they shaped. This is a riveting story from beginning to end, and one that should not be missed. Even someone who's not a fan of soccer will find "The Two Escobars" a riveting, yet frightening tale. There's no real happy ending here, but it's a cautionary tale for everyone who thinks sports are only games we play and watch.

I was 14 when I was watching the US play Colombia in the 1994 World Cup. I had already been playing soccer for almost 10 years and was watching the game with my dad, who was also my coach. We were watching the game in our living room and I totally remember when Colombia scored an own-goal. What I didn't know was the story behind that goal, the story behind the player, Andres Escobar, and the story behind the entire Colombia soccer team.This documentary really delivers the story of what the Colombia National team had to go through to get to the World Cup. It also goes into a stunning detailed history of the relationship between the Colombia drug trade and a football-crazed nation. The historical footage the directors were able to obtain is absolutely incredible. Lots of real footage of Pablo Escobar and his involvement in the sport and the community. There is footage of the team and players at the prime of their careers. Footage of pick-up football games between rival drug dealers at their million-dollar ranches.What really makes this film special is that the story is told by the people who were there: Family members of Pablo and Andres Escobar, team members and the coach of the 1994 Colombia National team, and people closely involved in the drama such as Pablo Escobar's cousin and Pablo's right hand man. When you hear the story coming out of their mouths and then watch the footage, the emotions you feel for these individuals is real. I was really touched by this film, not just because I'm a huge soccer fan, but because of the human lessons that can be learned from this film. There will always be a constant battle of good vs. evil in this world, and this was a story of just that.