The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)

The Motorcycle Diaries Poster
Original Title: Diarios de motocicleta

Based on the journals of Che Guevara, leader of the Cuban Revolution. In his memoirs, Guevara recounts adventures he and best friend Alberto Granado had while crossing South America by motorcycle in the early 1950s.

The Plot:
"The Motorcycle Diaries" is a captivating 2004 biographical film based on the memoirs of Che Guevara, focusing on the transformative motorbike journey that he carried out in his youth. Directed by Walter Salles and written by José Rivera, the film chronicles a 1952 journey throughout South America by Guevara (Gael García Bernal) and his buddy Alberto Granado (Rodrigo De la Serna).

The film begins with the 2 pals setting off from Buenos Aires, Argentina, on an old Norton 500 bike with a plan to take a trip through the South American continent. They have different inspirations - while Guevara, a young last-semester medical student, wants to check out the continent that he has just check out, Granado, a biochemist, is interested by the experience that the journey promises.

Character Development and Discovery:
As they leave the conveniences of their fortunate lives behind and traverse through unwelcoming terrains, they witness firsthand the socio-political disparities that pester the continent. Guevara's initial fascination with the voyage turns into a poignant political awakening as he learns more about the battles of the impoverished masses versus oppressive governments. In Chile, they satisfy a migrant couple kicked out from their land, and in Peru, they encounter made use of miners and lepers who are treated as social pariahs.

Visiting a leper nest in San Pablo, Peru, Che emerges as a caring figure, neglecting the river which is considered as the barrier in between the lepers and the health staff, symbolising his stand versus social departments. These revelations contribute to a profound change in Guevara's perspective and intelligence, pushing him towards the course of advanced disposition.

Cinematic Execution:
Walter Salles uses sensational real places as the backdrop, recreating the rugged appeal of South America, from the snow-capped Andean landscapes to the thick Amazon forests. This visual feast, combined with a sincere story and compelling efficiencies by the leads, positions "The Motorcycle Diaries" as a highly interesting movie that accompanies the audience through an unforgettable layover.

Gael García Bernal delivers a revitalizing and convincing representation of the renowned Guevara in his youth, recording his beauty, interest, and the growing sense of injustice towards social inequality, while Rodrigo De la Serna breathes life into the jovial, freewheeling Alberto Granado.

Conclusion:
"The Motorcycle Diaries", however, is not just a motion picture about physics, landscapes, or perhaps politics, but about a transformative journey that caused the birth of a famous political figure. It subtly traces the inception of Che Guevara's political awareness and offers audiences an opportunity to comprehend the motivations and experiences that shaped this iconic figure.

The strength of the movie lies in its simplicity and the straightforwardness of the story, concentrating on Che's advancement from observing the predicament of the oppressed to becoming their voice. It represents the life-altering expedition that moulded Che Guevara, the asthmatic young man, into the emblematic advanced figure he later on became. It's a journey that filled him with an insatiable drive to challenge the status quo and fight injustice, highlighting the importance of human compassion in effecting change.

Top Cast

  • Gael García Bernal (small)
    Gael García Bernal
    Ernesto Guevara de la Serna
  • Rodrigo de la Serna (small)
    Rodrigo de la Serna
    Alberto Granado
  • Mercedes Morán (small)
    Mercedes Morán
    Celia de la Serna
  • Mía Maestro (small)
    Mía Maestro
    Chichina Ferreyra
  • Jean Pierre Noher (small)
    Jean Pierre Noher
    Ernesto Guevara Lynch
  • Lucas Oro
    Roberto Guevara
  • Marina Glezer (small)
    Marina Glezer
    Celita Guevara
  • Sofia Bertolotto (small)
    Sofia Bertolotto
    Ana María Guevara
  • Franco Solazzi
    Juan Martín Guevara
  • Ricardo Díaz Mourelle (small)
    Ricardo Díaz Mourelle
    Uncle Jorge
  • Gustavo Bueno (small)
    Gustavo Bueno
    Dr. Hugo Pesce