THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES

REVIEWED BY SHANNON H.

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Because of: language, sensuality, thematic elements

Rated:

For those who have studied Latin American history or listened to a CD of the radical rock band Rage Against the Machine, the historical figure, Ernesto "Che" Guevara comes to mind. He's the Argentinean-Cuban Communist who actively took part in Cuba's revolution in the 1960s, aiding then-fellow revolutionary, Fidel Castro. Before he became the radical revolutionary he's known as, Ernesto "Che" Guevara was a medical student back in the early 1950s, living a very structured, privileged life in Argentina until a road trip through South America changed his life.

Young, 23-year-old Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (Gael García Bernal) was one semester away from receiving a medical degree. To take a break from all the exams, lectures, and studying, Ernesto and fellow doctor, a biochemist named Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna) from Spain decide to take a road trip to see South America with no set itinerary and traveling on an old, beat-up motorcycle. The two friends have only read about South America in books and would like to see it in person. It was their way of having fun before graduation and going into the real world. They pack their bags, plot the route they intend to take and set off, hoping to cover 5,000 miles in four months and coming back to Argentina to celebrate Alberto's 30th birthday. Ernesto and Alberto hope to see a bit of the world as well as do some networking with fellow research physicians near Venezuela, who are studying treatment options for those with leprosy. 

At first, the road trip goes a little rough. The two of them crash into a ditch and eventually make it to the home of Chichina, Ernesto's girlfriend. They stay for six days before making it back out on the road (they intended to stay for two days). Soon, the motorcycle they're riding on is showing some signs of disrepair, however, they continue on their quest to see the world and find out something about themselves. After leaving Argentina, Ernesto and Alberto find that they're featured in a local newspaper as two, aspiring doctors who hope to make "groundbreaking" discoveries in fatal diseases. This earns the trust of a mechanic who offered to fix their motorcycle for free (that trust is broken when Ernesto is seen dancing with his wife later on). 

The two friends manage to reach Chile with a broken motorcycle and charm some girls into free food and wine while the locals fix their machine. Their only mode of transportation is discovered to be beyond repair as the brakes are shot. The mechanic suggested that they sell the motorcycle for scraps. Still, Ernesto and Alberto are not discouraged and continue their journey through hiking in the desert and bumming rides from strangers. After meeting interesting people, flirting with pretty girls, Ernesto learns a lot about his fellow South Americans. He finds out that most of the people he meets are poor and have been kicked off their land by wealthy plantation owners (he meets a couple who are on the run from the police for being "Communist") and once he and his friend arrive at the leper colony to do research, he finds out that the sick are completely segregated from those who are well. While Alberto is out looking for fun, women, and a chance to get a good residency position at a hospital, Ernesto changes completely from the pampered college kid he used to be into an individual who questions the purpose of life itself.

The Motorcycle Diaries is rated R for a good reason, as it's laden with profanity. There are thirty f-words, and various profanities. This does not include the deleted scenes on the DVD. There is no graphic sexual content, but much is implied. Before their journey, Ernesto says to Alberto that he's more concerned with sleeping with different women in different places of the world. Ernesto and Chichina  fool around in the back of a car (both are clothed). Alberto gambles for money in order to pay to sleep with a prostitute on a boat (their lust fest is implied; nothing is seen). Chichina gave Ernesto $15 in American money to buy her a bathing suit should they travel to the US and Alberto responds saying the money is a waste since she would be taking off the bathing suit for him anyway. In Chile, while their hormones are raging, Alberto calls Ernesto the "sexual ambassador of Argentina." There are several other sexual references and innuendoes in the film. 

Christian content is very mild. There are nuns that work at the leper colony as nurses, but the head nurse denies lunch to Ernesto and Alberto since they did not attend Mass (Alberto says it's un-Christ-like to deny someone food, but the nun refuses to relent). Earlier on, when Ernesto is treating an old woman, Alberto says nothing would cure her, not even prayer. Still, the two of them have respect for the Christian faith and the nuns whom they've bonded with at the leper colony (they even danced with them at a going-away party). It is clear that the two men have slept around during the trip prior to marriage, contradictory to what 1st Corinthians says on sexual purity. The two of them also have disregard for Christian morals, preferring to do what they find exciting and pleasurable. Ernesto is seen dancing with another man's wife while he still has a girlfriend (he is chased out of the dance hall by an angry mob afterward). Even dancing with someone who is taken might be risky. 

I enjoyed this film except for the profanity and sexual references. It seems to bring a sense of adventure to me, since I am college-aged and haven't seen the world as of yet. It brings on that thrill of a college past time: road tripping, the activity done by American author John Steinbeck and Beatnick writer Jack Keroac. Although I haven't gone on a long road trip yet, it has given me a rather small idea of what to expect. The Motorcycle Diaries helped me to learn about Ernesto "Che" Guevara before he became the Communist guerrilla (by the way, "Che" means "buddy"). He didn't earn the "Che" moniker until about eight years later, when he met up with Alberto Granado in Cuba. The movie also has some funny moments, especially in the deleted scenes section of the DVD.  The soundtrack is catchy and the background guitar music is very beautiful. Unfortunately, this bright young man turned to Communism later on and spent time as a "revolutionary," killing hundreds of innocents to perpetuate a revolution in Cuba. What bothers me about this film is listening to the commentary from the DVD. The directors and executive producers (including actor/director Robert Redford) praised how this young man accomplished so much on his road trip and in his lifetime as a spokesperson for the working man. They blatantly ignored the heinous crimes "Che" Guevara committed in order to achieve the Communist "goal," which is not surprising since Hollywood is sympathetic to this kind of stuff. I could go on about this but it is not related to the film in question. Christians should be cautious about watching The Motorcycle Diaries.