The Motorcycle Diaries

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The Motorcycle Diaries

R

2004

2h 6m

Biography

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

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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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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David Ansen

Newsweek

Mar 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.

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Tom Long

Detroit News

Oct 8, 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.

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Terry Lawson

Detroit Free Press

Oct 8, 2004

4/4

Quietly exhilarating, soulful and sincerely romantic.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Sep 9, 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]

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Jane Freebury

The Canberra Times (Australia)

Aug 18, 2022

The Motorcycle Diaries takes you along on a meandering road trip through South America with a young Che Guevara, the Marxist revolutionary.

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Rosa Parra

Latinx Lens

Aug 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.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 23, 2026

The Motorcycle Diaries = a 4.5 star Movie!

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Ben W

@Username618 May 30, 2026

Lot less full on than y tu mama tambien, thankfully. I enjoyed.

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Thomas S

@RT53929595 Apr 19, 2026

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.

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Anson M

@Ansonmapants Jul 29, 2025

A thought-provoking film, grounded in breathtaking scenery and engaging performances.

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Liam D

@Mediawatcher2003 Feb 12, 2025

An well acted and written tribute to the era of Ernesto "Che" Guerva

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MARGARET C

@RT72090963 Nov 16, 2024

Walter Salles at his best. An evocative film, beautifully shot. With a tour de force performance from Gael Garcia Bernal.

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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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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)

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