In 1952, two young Argentines, Ernesto Guevara and Alberto Granado, set out on a road trip to discover the real Latin America. Ernesto is a 23-year-old medical student specializing in leprology, and Alberto, 29, is a biochemist. The film follows the young men as they unveil the rich and complex human and social topography of the Latin American continent. With a highly romantic sense of adventure, the two friends leave their familiar surroundings in Buenos Aires on a rickety 1939 Norton 500. Although the bike breaks down during the course of their eight-month journey, they press onward, hitching rides along the way. As they begin to see a different Latin America in the people they meet on the road, the diverse geography they encounter begins to reflect their own shifting perspectives. They continue to the heights of Machu Picchu, where the majestic ruins and the extraordinary significance of the Inca heritage have a profound impact on the young men. As they arrive at a leper colony deep in the Peruvian Amazon, the two are beginning to question the value of progress as defined by economic systems that leave so many people beyond their reach. Their experiences at the colony awaken within them the men they will later become by defining the ethical and political journey they will take in their lives.

The movie is a touching story of how seeing others suffer and struggle to live can change ones output on their very own lives. Che and Alberto grow and expand throughout the movie learning about life, love and each other through a series of adventures and mishaps that would eventually end up touching most of Latin America. It is hard to not be moved by this film as it shows such compassion for humanity and teaches lessons of self sacrifice and good will to other men. The movie was almost like two movies in one, the first half a comical farce that makes you laugh at the misadventures of Che and Alberto who for the first time in their lives explore the world but as they change so does the movie. The second half of the movie is more of drama and as they reach the leper colony and the characters change forever the movie evolves in the same way, more serious and more toughing

Gael Garcia Bernal and Rodrigo de la Serna did an amazing job of acting which is surprising as their performances they give are in a different language then my own. That tells of their power on the screen, that I was so moved even though I was reading subtitles rather than understanding what they were saying directly. Also they did a wonderful job with their body language and prate falls during the first half of the movie when they were so likely to fall off their motorcycle as they were to ride it. I love true stories like this that show a life different from our own and move us to want to see the world. The movie is powerful and draws you into a world much larger than what we see outside our very own windows and worth seeing.
4 stars out of 5