First, had to set aside my prejudices to view this film. If you're like me whenever 'Ernesto Che Guevera' is even mentioned en passant, I found myself conflicted.
There are a number of different reasons why The Motorcycle Diaries is a great film. For one thing it is a fascinating look at the young Che Guevara before he became radicalised.
I read Che's diary and I gotta say, the cinematography, well-rounded characters, and of course, Gael Garcia Bernal's gorgeous face, made this movie more alluring than the book. I've watched it twice and the story does get richer with age.
It is not only an adaptation. or a political story.
This film really is outstanding! I love the music (Gustavo Santaoalla) If you love all things South American, Hispanic and love travelling you will love this film.
The film starts with a quote from the book on which the film is based - that this is a story of people and not heroes. Ernesto and Alberto, a biochemist and a medical student, leave their native Argentina to explore South America.
Che Guevara has become a teenage fad of sorts. I don't know why, or how, but he is.
I also found this film oddly unsatisfying, but hardly poor. The scenery and general cinematography are outstanding and the performances are uniformly fine.
THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES is certainly one of the finest films of the year - a daring, compassionate re-creation of the journey of two young, well-to-do Argentinean lads who leave their privileged positions of biochemist and fourth year Medical student to follow their idea of traveling by motorcycle from their native Buenos Aires down to Patagonia, up through Chile, Peru, Colombia to Venezuela. Sounds like a light hearted Trip Movie, but instead this journey, factually made by one Ernesto (aka 'Che' and 'Fuser') Guevara de la Serna and his close friend Alberto Granado ('Chubby'), is one of the most touching and sensitive passages into self acceptance and awareness of the world as a place where equality of people is a microscopic speck of illusion that is revealed by a carefully constructed script by Jose Rivera based on the diaries of both of these men made during and after their journey.