The Motorcycle Diaries | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

83% Tomatometer 159 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings

On a break before his last semester of medical school, Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Gael García Bernal) travels with his friend Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna) 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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The Motorcycle Diaries | Rotten Tomatoes (1) David Ansen Newsweek 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. Mar 13, 2018 Full Review The Motorcycle Diaries | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Independent (UK) Rated: 3/5 Mar 7, 2005 Full Review The Motorcycle Diaries | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Marc Savlov Austin Chronicle Rated: 3/5 Oct 20, 2004 Full Review The Motorcycle Diaries | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Yasser Medina Cinefilia 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] Rated: 7/10 Sep 9, 2024 Full Review The Motorcycle Diaries | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Jane Freebury The Canberra Times (Australia) The Motorcycle Diaries takes you along on a meandering road trip through South America with a young Che Guevara, the Marxist revolutionary. Aug 18, 2022 Full Review The Motorcycle Diaries | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Rosa Parra Latinx Lens A breathtaking road trip movie across South America. A coming of age & consciousness story carried by a strong performance from Bernal. Rated: 4.5/5 Aug 15, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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MARGARET C Walter Salles at his best. An evocative film, beautifully shot. With a tour de force performance from Gael Garcia Bernal. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/16/24 Full Review Alexsander F 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, Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/06/24 Full Review Torin F THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES is much better than the book from which it takes its name. The film successfully draws forth the deeper currents of Guevara's road trip notes, portraying the formative journey as one full of mishaps, humor, pathos, and insight. The film's measured pace, location filming and excellent soundtrack all support the creation of a culturally-authentic work of art that stands on its own. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 09/28/24 Full Review The H realistic and authentic for the most part Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/30/23 Full Review Leaburn O A nice enough film about Guevara's famed journey across South America. The real beauty comes in the photography of the continent as we join this epic trip and see some amazing scenery. Well acted and you come to like the two protagonists. Bought this one for £1 in a charity shop on DVD. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/16/23 Full Review Ari V Finally watched it on gf's rec and glad I did. Top notch stuff. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/07/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

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 Clips

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The Motorcycle Diaries

The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Traveling Just to Travel The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Traveling Just to Travel 2:15 The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - To a United South America The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - To a United South America 3:01 The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Don't Take Forever The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Don't Take Forever 2:04 The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Hustling for Food and Shelter The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Hustling for Food and Shelter 2:59 The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Swimming Across the Amazon The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Swimming Across the Amazon 3:22 The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Alberto Meets Luz The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Alberto Meets Luz 2:49 The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Brutally Honest The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Brutally Honest 1:51 The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Diagnosing a Tumor The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Diagnosing a Tumor 2:15 The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Repairing "The Mighty One" The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Repairing "The Mighty One" 2:01 The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Looking For Shelter The Motorcycle Diaries: Official Clip - Looking For Shelter 1:13 View more videos

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Synopsis On a break before his last semester of medical school, Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Gael García Bernal) travels with his friend Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna) 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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