MovieChat Forums > Escobar: Paradise Lost (2015) Discussion > As a colombian

As a colombian

posted 9 years ago by gusdanjaq
6 replies | jump to latest

I am a Colombian, and have a lot of family members from Medellin, I find it refreshing the amount of detail Benicio del Toro provided to the characterization. Even the accent is very well done, most american movies try to show Escobar and his goons speaking a spanish generic accent, when one of the most recognizable features about him is his accent since he is from a very specific part of Colombia and the type of insults the gangsters of that area and their accent is very particular, and threatening.

I have been watching lately the new netflix show "Narcos" It´s very well done and the actors also try to imitate the accent that people from Antioquia have. The Escobar in the show is played by a very good actor, but being brazilian he clearly wasn´t able to come near the level of mastering of the accent that Del Toro Had.

I also highly reccomend a colombian show, that is on netflix too I think, called EL PATRON DEL MAL, which is a highly detailed dramatization of Escobar´s life, and the best one there is. And it has I think the most accurate characterization of Pablo Escobar in any movie or tv show, by a colombian actor calld Andres Parra.

I believe in me. I'm a little screwed up but I'm beautiful.

[–] Lizarita 9 years ago

Enjoyed your post. I just finished watching this a second time since. I started watching Narcos and was in the mood to see this again.

I'll have to check El Patron Del Mal, thanks for the suggestion.

[–] elmuano 9 years ago

I enjoyed all three shows and definitely agree Benicio did well. What bugs me is the need to reinforce the stereotype that we all look like mexicans who are mostly indians. Even the reporter who he had an affair with, in Narcos is portrayed as a mexican indian, while the reality is she looked like the average colombian, pretty white.
I'm Colombian and I'm brown, my brother is white, my sister brown. My cousin he is brown and his siter white. We have such a variety even in the same household. Mexico is different, segregation is very marked so one one part you have the majority poor people who are 99% indians in the north and the central mexico area where the few high class who are wealthy and mostly european white. They never mix.
I dont care about race but I dont like being painted with the same brush and how hollywood set stereotypes out of laziness.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] spookyrat1 8 years ago

Benicio del Toro's portrayal is the best part of a pretty ordinary film IMO.🐭

[–] fernandezanibal 7 years ago

Pity he didn't go to the same level of mastering the Argentinian way of speaking Spanish (Castillano) in the Che movies

[–] TerraFirma69 7 years ago

Nice to hear. I was wondering if Benicio was laying it on a bit thick in this movie, but I'll certainly bow to your wisdom.

...then whoa, differences...