Loving Pablo begins with a disclaimer explaining that while based on true events, certain characters, names, and occurrences were altered for dramatic effect. What isn't mentioned is how much the actors’ backgrounds and languages were changed as well. The Colombian figures of Pablo Escobar and Virginia Vallejo are portrayed by Spanish performers delivering their lines in English—or attempting to do so; Javier Bardem’s pronunciation is pretty rough, and Penelope Cruz’s isn’t much better, and their attempts at a Colombian accent aren't any good either. Adding to the confusion, snippets of random words and phrases in Spanish pop up throughout. I don’t believe it’s unreasonable to expect viewers to suspend disbelief and imagine that the characters are speaking Spanish amongst themselves even though the actors are using English; Hemingway pulled off something similar in For Whom the Bell Tolls. However, if these people are meant to be speaking their native language, shouldn't they sound like they actually do? And the dialogue should remain consistent—all English all the time—because otherwise, what language are they supposed to be using when they throw in a Spanish phrase? This is a film made in Spain, about characters who speak Spanish, created by Spaniards; I can’t imagine why they would choose to tell this story in any language other than Cervantes's. Except, naturally, for the desire to attract an English-speaking audience. But then, why bother casting Spanish actors—especially prominent ones like Bardem and Cruz—and Colombians, just so they have to deliver most of their lines in English? At minimum, they could’ve spared us Penelope Cruz narrating the movie.

Source on TMDB