
Pablo Escobar was the richest, most powerful drug kingpin in the world, ruling the Medellin Cartel with an iron fist. Andres Escobar was the biggest soccer star in Colombia. The two were not related, but their fates were inextricably - and fatally - intertwined. Pablo's drug money had turned Andres' national team into South American champions, favored to win the 1994 World Cup in Los Angeles. It was there, in a game against the U.S., that Andres committed one of the most sh... (Full plot summary below)
Enjoy FREE movies and series with your Prime (USA) subscription or when you start a 30-day free trial!
Links compiled using automated software. Availability of offers subject to change / might be region specific / out of date.
Pablo Escobar was the richest, most powerful drug kingpin in the world, ruling the Medellin Cartel with an iron fist. Andres Escobar was the biggest soccer star in Colombia. The two were not related, but their fates were inextricably - and fatally - intertwined. Pablo's drug money had turned Andres' national team into South American champions, favored to win the 1994 World Cup in Los Angeles. It was there, in a game against the U.S., that Andres committed one of the most shocking mistakes in soccer history, scoring an "own goal" that eliminated his team from the competition and ultimately cost him his life. THE TWO ESCOBARS is a riveting examination of the intersection of sports, crime, and politics. For Colombians, soccer was far more than a game: their entire national identity rode on the success or failure of their team. Jeff and Michael Zimbalist's fast and furious documentary plays out on an ever-expanding canvas, painting a fascinating portrait of Pablo, Andres, and a country in the grips of a violent, escalating civil war.
Leave your thoughts about The Two Escobars.
| The A.V. ClubScott TobiasFinds connections deeply embedded in a soccer culture fueled by the country's thieving cocaine trade. |
| Los Angeles TimesRobert AbeleOne of the best sports documentaries in recent memory. |
| New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanThe Zimbalists have unearthed a trove of footage, which they effectively blend with a full range of surprisingly honest interviews. As a result, the story of two individuals expands into a portrait of an entire country, in almost unthinkable distress. |
| Village VoiceKarina LongworthA stranger to this story will guess how it ends by virtue of the fact that neither Andrés nor Pablo appear in current-day footage, but nonetheless, The Two Escobars ends up being quite the nail-biter. |
| Boxoffice MagazineVadim RizovThe key point is made, if seemingly lost in the overly cheery finale. |
| Time OutDavid FearEven the admittedly thrilling gameplay footage and time-capsule news reports are couched in contexts that seem crudely sketched out. |
| User ReviewStoptimeThe TWO ESCOBARS is definitely the best sports documentary since WHEN WE WERE KINGS, possibly the best documentary of any kind since WHEN WE WERE KINGS. It's message is important, but also it masters the craft of storytelling, is stylish, and evokes a range of profound emotion. |