I came of age in the 1960s, when Che Guevara was intermittently in the news, and an iconic image of him was frequently featured in underground culture. At the time I never learned much about him other than that he was a revolutionary who was assassinated by the CIA, so it was a pleasure to discover this 2004 movie recently.
The Motorcycle Diaries is a biopic adaptation of a book covering a formative period in Che Guevara's youth, when he left medical school to travel with a friend through much of South America. The script is free of leftist dogma and revolutionary principles; it's basically a road trip/coming of age movie illustrating how Che came to be familiar with and sympathetic with the indigenous peoples of America, and realized that the borders between countries are artificial constructs.
We (roughly) retraced his journey in about 2015, traveling thru Patagonia (Chile to Argentina) on bus and ferry boat; no motorcycles. Look for Monte Tronador in your mapping app. If you get the opportunity - go! (I tried to figure out how to attach a photo, but no joy.)
ReplyDeleteIn the early 2000s, Gael Garcia Bernal was hot stuff. Coming out of nowhere to do Amores Perros and Y Tu Mama Tambien in the same year. Then the Motorcycle Diaries and Bad Education in 2004. And then the hype died. He's made dozens of films but not recaptured that moment. I always wonder how actors cope with the fickle and variable nature of their career paths. And what's the difference between someone like GGB, whose peak lasted 4 years, and say Timothee Chalamet, who's stayed at the top since Call Me By Your Name in 2017. Both great actors, beautiful young men, nice people.
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