Viewed in
2010
Premise
Part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series, a documentary intertwining the rise and fall of Colombia's organized crime and national futbol teams, highlighting the lives of Pablo Escobar and Andres Escobar.
Loved
The amazing story, the wealth of information provided.
Thoughts
A very thorough and educational film.
I was too young to know Pablo Escobar's criminal power and was uneducated about Andres Escobar's death. This helped me understand a dark part of Colombia's history.
The story was amazing as it sprawled like one of those epic crime dramas. It really highlighted the thesis that sometimes there is no separation between sports and life. I found how the cartel and the national team's paths crossed to be fascinating.
The wealth of interviews, footage and research was outstanding. The documentarians acquired honest interviews from Andres' family, Pablo's colleagues, and outsiders. This allowed for a full-length documentary with fleshed out details, clear narrative, and an immersible education.
As we know from the news, this had a tragic ending. But the media never showed how it became so, nor the full extent of the tragedy. Here, I got a more complete story. I learned just how big a monster Pablo was, but also how his criminal activities enabled him to help out the poor neighborhoods of his country. I learned where Andres and his teammates came from, and experienced their star-crossed 1994 endeavors. As expected, life is complicated.
Arguably the best of the ESPN series, this film was a visual essay of history, sports, and complex humanity. In the end, I came out enlightened from a powerful message.
What I would change
Overall, it was very good at keeping me oriented in terms of chronology, as it spanned over three decades. However, I would have made it more explicit in terms of dates and times for both Escobars' last days. I would have liked to know how far apart Pablo's death was in relation to the World Cup events.
Personal
I found it fascinating how it crossed paths with two other 30 for 30 films: Without Bias and June 17, 1994.
