Loving Pablo, based on the book by Virginia Vallejo

Loving Pablo, based on the book by Virginia Vallejo

This motion picture has not received the acclaim it deserves, if you are to believe the under signed, who thinks it is a great, if terrifying story with excellent performances, except perhaps for some scenes wherein Penelope Cruz ventures a little over the top and exaggerates some of the suffering of the protagonist.

The phenomenal actress has the leading role of Virginia Vallejo, a talented, popular journalist and a brave, determined, perseverant, open minded, gritty, strong, resilient woman.

Her real life husband, the outstanding Javier Bardem –winner of a deserved Academy Award for his memorable role in No Country For Old Men – has the task of rendering on the big screen the figure of another monster – Pablo Escobar.

The hero was born in a poor family, in an impoverished region, but he makes an estimated two billion in just a few years, raising questions and making the minister of justice challenge this suspicious rise to extreme wealth in the Columbian Parliament, at the time when the protagonist becomes a senator.

Virginia Vallejo is famous as an anchorwoman and journalist when, in 1981, she attends a large party that takes place at the luxuriant ranch of the rich Pablo Escobar, where she can see him discussing with other wealthy individuals – almost all of them drug lords, leaders of various cartels.

The hero of the feature would be the absolute leader – he likes to boast in front of his daughter about his position as a king, who can do whatever he wants – at a certain moment, he is in jail, but he wants to demonstrate to his child that her mother is wrong and he can go wherever he wants –of the Medellin cartel.

The United Sates is very concerned about the rising drug use, most of the cocaine – was it 80%?- coming from Columbia, an important problem addressed by the then president, Ronald Reagan, and the first lady, Nancy Reagan and the task force set up to fight the traffic.

A prominent role in combating the Columbian drug lords is played by Agent Shepard – portrayed by the talented Peter Sarsgaard – who will have a close relationship with the authorities from that country, which appeared to be kidnapped by this Force of Evil, who would obtain an immense power at the zenith of his criminal, violent activity.

The government of Columbia tries to sign an extradition agreement with the United States, seemingly the only way to bring the cartel leaders to justice, for whenever they are facing opposition they kill all those involved, their family, friends and innocent by standers, and if they are in court, they either bribe or kill the judges who are supposed to pass sentence over them.

Pablo Escobar concludes that he needs political power, he knows how much a position in local government would cost and the price for a seat in the Senate bribes some politicians and reaches Parliament after his campaign, being stopped on the steps in what is one of the few amusing moments in rather gruesome drama.

The newly elected senator is not stopped on the footsteps of the Senate for his abhorrent crimes, he is asked to…wear a tie, since this is what the rule is and immediately, tens of men offer to give him their own ties to give him access in a body where he would be challenged for his inexplicable wealth and the reputation he has as a drug king and a killer.

The ruthless, despicable, monstrous, nefarious hero would not forget a small insult and he never rests after the minister has spoken like that about his “majesty, the king of cocaine” and he would have the sicarios kill this politician and so many others, it looks like the whole country would be empty, as Virginia would remark.

To a great extent, it is hard to see how the heroine and the legitimate wife of the vicious creature would not take action, condemn, try to make this monster stop, even if anyone knew how futile any attempt to reason with the Devil might be.

In fact, the journalist is increasingly mad, indignant with her lover, but she is also in awe, infatuated with the killer, making one think of the famous quote: “power is the ultimate aphrodisiac” and she has moments when she appears to approve, condone the murderous drug lord.

For instance, after the country would have had enough of multiple, a multitude of killings, bombings and mindless, horrible, disgusting sacrifice of the children, parents and other relatives of those who have attracted the Wrath of this Nefarious Khan.

We have seen torture and “inventive” means of inflicting pains on fellow human beings in other dramas, in Loving Pablo, when they disagree over the price to pay for a kilogram of cocaine, the lunatic mobster brings his secarios to cut the partners in crime with the chainsaw.

A new means of tormenting, abusing with incredible sadism both animal and human being is depicted in this motion picture, where the devilish members of the Medellin cartel – but the others from Cali and elsewhere were surely no better – tie a dog to the back of a man and then use a club to hit the poor creature, which then bites the neck of the victim, repeatedly, in a hard to see scene.

Loving Pablo is not on the same level with Goodfellas, Donnie Brasco or other classics, but it offers a poignant drama, based on the memories written by the woman who Loved Pablo, but hated Escobar…