The Motorcycle Diaries
September 2004
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Synopsis
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4.5
114 total
5 73
4 30
3 9
2 0
1 2
Roger Moore
A marvelous road picture and boys-become-men adventure, full of the best kind of idealism.
Rene Rodriguez
A dull, unsatisfying experience -- as well as inconclusive.
Tom Long
Well-acted, beautifully shot and broad and personal, The Motorcycle Diaries is nonetheless undermined in the end by a clunky search for meaning and depth that seems forced.
Terry Lawson
Quietly exhilarating, soulful and sincerely romantic.
Steve Murray
It's about the gradual wakening into awareness, the graduation from carefree youth to responsible adulthood.
Andrew O'Hehir
Whether you want to see The Motorcycle Diaries as entirely a personal story or as social and political allegory, it captures a far different and far more vulnerable Ernesto Guevara than the one we think we know.
Critic reviews
Roger Moore
A marvelous road picture and boys-become-men adventure, full of the best kind of idealism.
Tom Long
Well-acted, beautifully shot and broad and personal, The Motorcycle Diaries is nonetheless undermined in the end by a clunky search for meaning and depth that seems forced.
Steve Murray
It's about the gradual wakening into awareness, the graduation from carefree youth to responsible adulthood.
Andrew O'Hehir
Whether you want to see The Motorcycle Diaries as entirely a personal story or as social and political allegory, it captures a far different and far more vulnerable Ernesto Guevara than the one we think we know.
Richard Roeper
I think it is beautifully shot, and the chemistry between these two young actors is terrific.
User reviews

Beautiful, lovely, and hilarious. This film is about Ernesto Guevara, before the world knew who he was, based on his diary writings. Gael Garcia does an outstanding job portraying the young protagonist & Rodrigo de la Serena's performance is just as great. The soundtrack is magnificent, the cinematography is lively, & the plot does not give the protagonists a break. See how Che's political ideology becomes solidified as he travels across South America and takes note of the poverty & exploitation brought about by American globalization.

An engaging road trip movie that led to a life's work I watch a lot of foreign films and this is absolutely one of my favorites. Two friends take a rather daring road trip across South America on a rickety motorcycle-- which would be a scary, uncertain adventure in itself for most of us-- but the two young men discover much more than they set out to learn. Gael Garcia Bernal is wonderful as usual. The Motorcycle Diaries is not only an engaging lesson in becoming an adult, but it also highlights the paths some take that form their philosophical views and ultimate purpose. Highly recommended.
Cast and credits
Actors | Gael Garcia Bernal, Rodrigo de la Serna, Ma Maestro, Mercedes Morn, Jean Pierre Noher |
Producers | Michael Nozik, Edgard Tenenbaum, Karen Tenkhoff |
Director | Walter Salles |
Writers | Jose Rivera |
Additional information
Rotten tomatoes® score
Audio language
Subtitles
English
Rental period
Start within 30 days, finish within 24 hours.
Run time
126 minutes
Rating
R
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