Paradise Lost

After watching a movie like 'Blow' (about George Jung) or Goodfellas (about Henry Hill) this movie seemed horribly irrelevant from Escobar's life. The movie, and plot, are both excellent but the main focus is not Escobar himself, and his story was not fully told but rather a story of this white dude who becomes friends with him and gets in trouble.

I think this would have made a great movie if it didn't have the title of "Escobar" because it really isn't a movie about him. Escobar (character) appeared in many other great movies but wasn't the main focus, and that worked. This title, however, is unfair because now this movie will be the main one about Escobar while it shows nothing of him.

Hats off to Benicio del Toro, another solid performance!

Entertaining!

Paradise Lost tells the story of a foreigner who goes to Colombia with his brother to open a surfing school and ends up falling in love with the niece of the infamous Pablo Escobar, the drug warlord. As you can imagine, his life spirals into chaos as soon as he starts getting serious with that girl. While he seems to be in good terms with the mafia clan at the beginning, as soon as Escobar's life gets complicated and justice tries to trap him, the lives of those around him follow the same disastrous path.

The tension of the movie comes from never knowing if the protagonist's love for his girl is going to be strong enough to put up with living with one of the most dangerous guys on earth at the time, or whether he is going to escape from the obviously choosing the wrong path. It's hard to tell if the movie is based on true events, (google can clarify that I'm sure) but either way, the film might easily have some resemblance with reality, since it is well known by everyone who Escobar was and how ruthless a man he came to be.

I would honestly not hesitate to watch it as a good Sunday afternoon movie. But bear in mind, it's also the type of film that you will easily forget.

Pablo Escobar (1949-1993) was a notorious drug trafficker and leader of Columbia's infamous Medellin drug cartel. He dealt exclusively in cocaine, starting in the mid-1970s. At the height of his power, his cartel controlled 80% of the world's cocaine, smuggling fifteen tons per day, and Escobar himself had an estimated net worth of $30 billion. He maintained his power and his freedom by either bribing or killing his enemies, including those in law enforcement and politics. He also enjoyed the loyalty and support of the mostly poor people in western Columbia who benefited from the many community service projects he funded.

In spite of his personal popularity and the strength of his criminal empire, the authorities were closing in when he made a deal with the government in 1991 to surrender himself in exchange for a light sentence in a luxurious prison. Escobar continued his criminal activities from "jail" and ended up escaping after just over a year behind bars. After a year and a half on the run, a U.S.-trained task force of Columbian police found Escobar, shooting and killing him as he tried to get away. Now, imagine marrying into Pablo Escobar's family when it seemed the world was his. That's the story in "Escobar: Paradise Lost" (R, 2:00).

Josh Hutcherson (Peeta in "The Hunger Games") stars as Nick Brady, a young man from Canada who follows his older brother to Columbia with dreams of living on the beach. While working as a surfing instructor, he meets a beautiful young woman named Maria (Claudia Traisac)… as in Maria Escobar. By the time Nick learns that Pablo Escobar (Benicio Del Toro) is Maria's uncle, Nick has fallen for her. She knows what her uncle does, but talks about it as if he's just an important businessman who exports their country's most popular product. She doesn't seem to understand the full extent of her uncle's power and brutality and Nick only gradually comes to his own understanding of who "El Patron" really is.

Nick marries Maria and is welcomed into the Escobar family with open arms. The couple even moves on to Uncle Pablo's estate. Nick's brother, Dylan (Brady Corbet) and his wife Anne (Ana Girardot), who have a new baby and another one on the way, become very worried for Nick – and for themselves. But Maria isn't like the rest of her family and she is all Nick really cares about. Eventually, even Nick and Maria see that they should be joining Dylan and Anne in leaving the country, but by then, audience members have to ask themselves if it's too late.

Most of the film's action takes place in the final couple of days before Escobar surrenders to authorities to begin his prison term. Before he goes away, he has a plan to safeguard his vast wealth and he asks for help from Nick, whom he appears to hold in very high regard. Pablo gives Nick a series of very specific instructions to carry out, which includes asking Nick to do things that he tells Escobar he's never done before. Escobar responds simply, "We all have to make sacrifices, Niko. You can do this." Without spoiling the ending, let me just say that Nick's errand doesn't go according to plan – anyone's plan.

"Escobar: Paradise Lost" feels so authentic, I was surprised to learn that it is NOT based on a true story. The film tells a tale that seems very plausible even in its smallest details, based on what we now know about Pablo Escobar and his criminal empire. Basing this film on a real person and real events, but focusing on a fictional main plot leaves writer-director Andrea Di Stefano free to be as creative as she likes with the story – and what a yarn she has spun! The film starts with intensity, allows for good characterization and for the development of the romance between Nick and Maria, then builds to a thrilling third act, while avoiding clichés found in many films of this kind. In short, the audience gets a little education and insight, a heartfelt romance and a harrowing fight for survival, all in a film that's fresh and entertaining from beginning to end. "A"

I guess a role like that in Hunger Games can make comparisons like that easy. Also if you spend most of the time with Josh instead of Benicio (playing Escobar) you might feel tempted to question what the movie is actually about. But there are hints at the beginning which become bigger towards the end.

I'm not sure, that's how Escobar actually was. But the man depicted is anything but a Saint, even if he might have done some nice things for his people. Obviously some things are heightened for movie purposes especially towards the end. The suspense is there, but the movie might be even better, if there was more of Escobar. His character being mesmerizing every time he is on screen. But maybe that was the reason. He came off too good and therefor might have confused people (again especially towards the end) ... Decent effort of a real crime thriller

I wasn't expecting much out of this film. But I do enjoy del Toro, as well as Hutcherson, so I thought I'd give it a shot. It was a little fast in some parts, but overall not a terrible film. For those saying it was based on true events, that's a big stretch. Nowhere does it say that it is based on true events. The movie is very loosely based around the final years of Pablo Escobar. Think of it like Titanic, true event, fictional characters. Neither Hutchersons or Traisacs characters actually existed. As for the ending, it's pretty obvious what happens, even if you don't see it happen on screen. I would have liked a little more explanation as to how characters ended up where they were through the film, but the movie doesn't lose anything because of it. In the end, it was an OK film with some wonderful acting. Worth a watch.