The Motorcycle Diaries

Yesterday afternoon I was finally able to see a movie I had heard a lot about. The Motorcycle Diaries describes the journey of self-discovery of Ernesto "Che" Guevara and his best friend in the 1950s. Ernesto is a medical student and the friend is a biochemist. The performances of Gael Gracia Bernal and Rodrigo de la Serna are excellent. Garcia Bernal (Ernesto) sounds Argentine, though he was actually born in Mexico. He captures "Che" Guevara's sensitivity and idealism. De la Serna offers strong support and makes a good travel sidekick. I particularly enjoyed the beauty of the scenery in South America. Buenos Aires is a city I know very well. I have been to Bariloche and have a friend who often vacations in Miramar, a popular summer destination. Peru, Chile and Colombia also look fantastic in this movie. Ernesto Guevara is changed forever because of what he sees on this trip. There is human suffering that he can do nothing about and there are injustices that he wishes weren't there. The Motorcycle Diaries is not a big audience movie, but it should be because its themes are universal. And it's a movie for people who want to know more about South America and el "Che". The continent is not well known or understood and that's a pity. It has a lot to offer and teach on many levels. One of the most touching scenes is the one where Ernesto is reading a letter he has received from the girl he has recently visited in Miramar. Without the use of dialog we are shown his heartbreak and disappoinment. He cares deeply and makes us care with him. Another memorable scene is the one in which he tries to lessen a dying old lady's pain by giving her some pills. Ernesto must have had the compassion of a first rate doctor.