Don't listen to the negative reviews

Boring

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

I can see how this movie is a favourite of a lot of people. The actors played the roles extremely well and were aided by a decent script. The entire movie was shot well and everything seemed to be exactly what you would want in a good movie. The problem however is that the movie was not for me. I struggled with it not overly enjoying the ride I was taken on. This is not a knock on the makers of the movie, as I said they did a good job, its just I personally didn't really enjoy it much.

Don't even know how to describe this stupid film, because I simply can't comprehend what's the real purpose of making it.What we got here are two stupid young men who thought they are the pioneers to travel the south and north American by riding an old, totally unreliable motorcycle to broaden their views of their future. One of them is even a poor con artist, trying so hard to bullshit all the way. The other one is just like romantic fool, a peacock with a more decent character, even thought of bringing a puppy for his love one. Both of them are terrible bikers, they crashed their miserable motorcycle so many times, even crashed into muddy trenches, gutters or creeks with deep water. They don't seem to have any mechanical knowledge of a motorbike, yet every time they seem to have no problem to fix a badly crashed one. They don't even know when to slow down on dirt turns of the country roads. And I don't know how they could and would broaden their lives' prospect since all they could do is just concentrating to stupidly maintain inappropriate speed, trying to reach some unknown places with food and lodging. The road trip never educated them a bit. They are still who they are from the beginning before they start the journey. I simply couldn't buy anything from this pathetic film, trying to tell us that it's the trip that has formed a great revolutionist in the making. That's total bullshit! I would never believe anything what this film targeted to us: A long road trip on a junk motorbike could make you different, especially when these two morons don't even know where and how to set up a tent during a stormy evening.

This is a film that wants to paint the picture of Che Gueverra's epiphany. It wants to be important. Brazilian Director Walter Salles (Central Staion) knows the basic approach of telling a chronological story, filled with visuals which tell the audience as much as the dialog. The idea of two friends embarking on a journey that could never be completed on its original terms (travelling South America on an old motorcycle with hardly any funds or plans to earn their way) makes for the small bit of drama we get. And that's the problem. The future history is irrelevant to the movie experience unless you are told otherwise, and we are not. Our lot is an expressed realization of inequity and injustice through roadside interviews, nothing first hand. That's not drama. Our boys struggling to get along despite their circumstances and ideals (one wants justice while the other comically wants women) seems to be what we are left with. Our two leads, Gael Garcia Bernal and Rodrigo de la Serna are compelling and keep our attention as the ultimate road trip duo. The music enchants the scenes bringing you into these travelers shoes, but their minds would never accept events this way. They came from family money and protected upbringings. It is an endearing movie at times but the change that is supposed to be taking place on screen is still somewhere in the writers' screenplay, you would have to believe. And here that's what you have to do.

Motorcycle Diaries is film that beautifully combines peaceful wanderings, urgent passions and thought provoking personalities. The former life of Che Guevara is one that seems at first to be quite distant from his future revolutions in Cuba but upon reflecting on the film, the connection in his passion and hope can be seen. The film does just what it intended do remarkably well and beautifully. It draws out the personality of Che and causes viewers to connect with him and even hold him in high regard. By displaying him as one who is following his passion, has a heart for what is right, and stands up for humanity above all else, Che is given a chance to be seen in a different light because of Motorcycle Diaries. The peaceful yet often chaotic travels of Che and his companion, Fuser, draw viewers in to the immediate beauty of their story. The times when Che becomes angry portray his deep passion to stand up for what is right, often by contrasting him with Fuser or other characters holding onto the status quo. Che is seen as a person who almost everyone wants to be: intelligent, passionate, caring and adventurous. He is not immortal but he is in almost every regard, better than those around him. These elements of character development and plot fulfill the intent of the director to change the view of Che by those who oppose communist revolution. The supporting elements in Motorcycle Diaries are also extremely important in giving it an exceptional rating as a film. The best word to describe the scenery and music the film is simply beautiful. The calm scenes pull at the heartstrings of the viewers who long for such beauty for themselves. The intense and upbeat scenes are supported by excellent acting that enables the passion of the film to also be seen as beautiful. By uniting these two beauties and supporting Che's passion, the film succeeds in supporting that for which Che stands. Since is caring actions are seen as beauty, so are his passion filled words calling for a revolution for a united America. If this were said without the build up for the rest of the film and all of its elements working together, Che would yet again be dismissed as a revolutionary communist who only did harm. The intricate build up of the film however, can convince the viewers that Che's opinion has merit. This is something that is quite difficult for a film to do: allow a viewer to agree with a character even when they might immediately renounce those opinions in any other setting. The viewers do not want to associate themselves with the nuns and doctors who stay on the other side of the river so they engage deeply with Che, a personality that outside of the film they might despise. Whether or not this opinion stands after the viewing of the film is difficult to assess but Motorcycle Diaries sure did its job extremely well: Che Guevara became a human being that everyone could relate with.