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The Motorcycle Diaries

Play trailer Poster for The Motorcycle Diaries R 2004 2h 6m Biography Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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83% Tomatometer 159 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
On a break before his last semester of medical school, Ernesto "Che" Guevara travels with his friend Alberto Granado from Brazil to Peru by motorcycle. The two men soon witness the great disparities in South America, encountering poor peasants and observing the exploitation of labor by wealthy industrialists. When they reach a leper colony in Peru, Ernesto's values have changed so much that he sides with the sufferers, forgetting his own comfort.
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The Motorcycle Diaries

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Critics Consensus

The Motorcycle Diaries is heartfelt and profound in its rendering of the formative experiences that turn Ernesto "Che" Guerva into a famous revolutionary.

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Critics Reviews

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David Ansen Newsweek 03/13/2018
Walter Salles's well-observed movie downplays politics for humanism. It's a picturesque tale that, hobbled by its episodic structure, never achieves full steam. Go to Full Review Tom Long Detroit News 10/08/2004
B-
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. Go to Full Review Terry Lawson Detroit Free Press 10/08/2004
4/4
Quietly exhilarating, soulful and sincerely romantic. Go to Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia 09/09/2024
7/10
It evokes on me a strange liberating sensation that captures me and, above all, leaves a trail of enormous visual beauty with the panoramas shown during the reconstruction of Ernesto Guevara's journey. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Jane Freebury The Canberra Times (Australia) 08/18/2022
The Motorcycle Diaries takes you along on a meandering road trip through South America with a young Che Guevara, the Marxist revolutionary. Go to Full Review Rosa Parra Latinx Lens 08/15/2021
4.5/5
A breathtaking road trip movie across South America. A coming of age & consciousness story carried by a strong performance from Bernal. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ben W @Username618 May 30 Lot less full on than y tu mama tambien, thankfully. I enjoyed. See more Thomas S @RT53929595 Apr 19 This film is simply so… human. It follows two broke students on the road, overcoming obstacles, connecting with the people they meet along the way. What truly resonates is the shared humanity — everyone they encounter is, in the end, just trying to get by and make a living. The landscapes are stunning as well, adding to the sense of journey and discovery. See more Anson M @Ansonmapants 07/29/2025 A thought-provoking film, grounded in breathtaking scenery and engaging performances. See more Liam D @Mediawatcher2003 02/12/2025 An well acted and written tribute to the era of Ernesto "Che" Guerva See more MARGARET C @RT72090963 11/16/2024 Walter Salles at his best. An evocative film, beautifully shot. With a tour de force performance from Gael Garcia Bernal. See more Alexsander F @Aelxs 10/06/2024 Que grande filme nos é apresentado aqui, principalmente para nós latino americanos, o longa tem um caráter excepcional para qualquer um que queira adentrar na história da América do Sul, e de seus povos originários que foram praticamente expulsos de suas terras, por conta da ganância dos colonizadores europeus. Um filme fundamental, apenas assistam, um adendo a fotografia que me lembra muito o grande fotografo brasileiro Sebastião Salgado, See more Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Walter Salles

Director

Gael García Bernal

Ernesto 'Che' Guevara de la Serna

Rodrigo de la Serna

Alberto Granado

Mercedes Morán

Celia de la Serna

Mía Maestro

Chichina Ferreyra

Jorge Chiarella

Dr. Bresciani

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Movie Info

Synopsis On a break before his last semester of medical school, Ernesto "Che" Guevara travels with his friend Alberto Granado from Brazil to Peru by motorcycle. The two men soon witness the great disparities in South America, encountering poor peasants and observing the exploitation of labor by wealthy industrialists. When they reach a leper colony in Peru, Ernesto's values have changed so much that he sides with the sufferers, forgetting his own comfort.
Director
Walter Salles
Producer
Daniel Burman, Michael Nozik, Karen Tenkhoff, Edgard Tenenbaum
Screenwriter
Ernesto "Che" Guevara, Jose Rivera
Distributor
Focus Features
Production Co
South Fork Pictures, FilmFour Productions
Rating
R (Language)
Genre
Biography, Drama
Original Language
Spanish
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 24, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$16.8M
Runtime
2h 6m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.37:1)