"The Two Escobars" And Narco-Futbol Hits It Out Of The Theater
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"He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own."
-- Confucius
The Two Escobars (photo courtesy of the2escobars.com)
Questioning the validity of this saying would be easy if only taken at face value.
As in any other subject, it has many layers and its measure of accuracy depends on the circumstances life deals or how specific we want to be in our evaluation.
Throughout history, we have seen men of both ill-repute and great reputation do amazing things for others, and sometimes they are the same person.
"The Two Escobars" is summed up in a single phrase, “Narco-Futbol.” In a collage of action, elite soccer highlights are married to a Colombian civil war between the Medellin drug cartel and a Colombian government conjoined with the cartel’s rivals.
At the height of Colombia’s soccer success, drug money glued the sport and the country together and ultimately shredded both to pieces. This documentary gravitates around the most famous men in Colombia at the time, Pablo Escobar, the cocaine kingpin of the world, and Andres Escobar, the captain of Atlético Nacional, arguably the best soccer team on the planet.
In a paradox of fate, these two are inextricably linked together by more than just name. Pablo funds Atlético Nacional with massive amounts of drug money and a strong passion for futbol; instantly their personal mission statement, ideals, and ultimately, deaths are interconnected.
Andres was a paragon of virtue for Colombians. His deep religiosity, athleticism and good looks were coupled with a deep care and commitment to poor people and the Colombian nation. His goal was to use his earnings from soccer to rebuild the lives of the disenfranchised Colombians.
In spite of being the world’s wealthiest cocaine drug lord, we get a clear visual of Pablo as a Robin Hood for poor Colombians. Pablo rapidly reshapes Colombian society by building homes (not shelters) for homeless families, feeds them, and builds soccer fields throughout the country.
As Pablo faces extradition and Andres Faces a World Cup loss, tragedy strikes, bringing Colombia to its knees. This amazing tale chronicles the power and frailty of “Narco-Futbol.” A must see for anyone who enjoys a strong storyline and a high dose of action.
