Review of The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) by Ws W — 06 Oct 2014

What happens when two friends go on a gap year to travel across South America on a motorcycle? The answer lies in the story of The Motorcycle Diaries, based on real life story of Che Guevara who was a "theoretician and tactician of guerrilla warfare, prominent communist figure in the Cuban Revolution." Ernesto "Fuser" Guevara, a medical student, and his friend Alberto Granado, biochemist, start their journey in 1952 from Buenos Aires on an old 500 Norton Motorbike very lovingly named "La Poderosa" meaning the mighty one. In the movie we see the events Ernesto experiences that force his personality and attitude to change and become the rebellious "Che" Guevara.

The journey starts off a light at Che's girlfriend Chichina's house who tells him she'll wait on him but he should not "take forever." By each place they advance through, it becomes more and more serious not just in terms of what they witness but also their physical conditions. They run out of money, shelter, food, their motorcycle breaks down and Fuser has an asthma attack. There are parts of the movie that'll keep you dying of laughter and there are some thought provoking scenes that'll make you cry. Che Guevara is played by the very handsome and immensely talented Gael García Bernal. He does an extremely convincing job of portraying that young, fierce, energetic man with a genuine, thoughtful side. Rodrigo De La Serna is very funny and equally impresive as the much older, less-serious Alberto Granado. De La Serna is actually a second cousin to the real life Ernesto. The supporting cast ranging from doctors, twin sisters, professor, coal miners and many more is diverse and very well casted.

Director Walter Salles does a great job of contrasting the two main characters that provides a good balance throughout the movie. Much of the writing comes from Che Guevara's original memoir called Travel Notes, later renamed The Motorcycle Diaries - and Granado's book Travels with Che Guevara. It seems that Salles has done a great job keeping the essence of that original journey because the still- living Alberto Granado, who is shown at the end credits, is happy with the outcome. "The film shows what we were, which was two young men - boys, really - who went looking for adventure and found the truth and tragedy of our homeland," he says. The music by Gustavo Santaolalla is a reflection of the diverse cities shown in the movie. "El Chipi Chipi" will stick in your minds for days. Being a travel movie, the real charm of the film is the breathtaking land of South America all thanks to Eric Gautier for the amazing cinematography. It highlights Latin America's in all its glory, displaying the beauty of all its seasons. In just a small time, the audience feels connected to the place and its distressed people.

The true beauty of The Motorcycle Diaries lies in the fact that though it is a political story of a historical leader, it is very approachable in spirit. It is more of a coming-of-age story of two young men than anything. It is one of the most unique biopics because, unlike most other ones, it goes deep in a person's youth and reveals how that person became influential without actually showing him at his most powerful status. It really makes the audience wonder who Ernesto Fuser "Che" Guervara was. Was he just a simple doctor wanting to cure and help people or this relentless leader that we know him as today? Why some people think of him as a hero and some think of him as a villain? Overall, The Motorcycle Diaries is a road movie in all its forms; a road to self discovery, a road to discovery of other humans and a road towards the determination to change the world. Though The Motorcycle Diaries may fail for some history fans in terms of accuracy, I would highly suggest seeing it for its strong acting, entertaining story and beautiful cinematography.