It took over a decade. Fans of Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s beloved 2012 novel, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, spent years wondering if they’d ever actually see Ari and Dante on a screen. Honestly, the track record for Young Adult adaptations is messy. For every Perks of Being a Wallflower, there are five rushed, glossy versions that lose the soul of the source material. But the Aristotle and Dante film—which finally hit theaters in 2023—managed to dodge the usual Hollywood pitfalls. It didn't try to be a TikTok-filtered explosion of neon. Instead, it stayed quiet.
The movie is a slow burn. It’s sweaty, dusty, and deeply grounded in its 1987 El Paso setting. If you came looking for high-octane drama, you're in the wrong place. This is a story about the silence between two teenage boys and the terrifying weight of figuring out who you are when the world hasn't given you a map.
Aitch Alberto, the director, spent years fighting to get this made. Lin-Manuel Miranda stayed on as a producer because he voiced the audiobook and felt a personal connection to the prose. That’s the kind of background energy that usually results in a "labor of love" project, and you can feel that in every frame. It isn't just a product; it’s a specific vision.
The Struggle to Bring Ari and Dante to Life
Hollywood usually wants "big." They want stakes. They want a "ticking clock." But the Aristotle and Dante film is mostly about two boys looking at the stars or sitting in a vintage Chevy truck. Casting was the make-or-break moment. Max Pelayo (Aristotle) and Reese Gonzales (Dante) weren't household names when they were cast, which was a risky move for a mid-budget indie.
It worked.
Pelayo captures Ari’s internal wall—that specific, brooding Mexican-American masculinity that feels like a defensive crouch. Then you have Gonzales as Dante, who is basically the human equivalent of an open wound. He’s all feeling, all the time. The chemistry isn't about grand romantic gestures; it’s about the way they stand near each other at a swimming pool.
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The production faced massive hurdles. Finding the right light in the desert, securing the rights, and navigating the pandemic-era filming schedule meant the movie could have easily fallen apart. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2022, but the road to a wide release was still a slog. It’s a miracle it exists in this form.
Why the 1987 Setting Matters More Than You Think
Setting a queer coming-of-age story in 1987 isn't just a stylistic choice for the Aristotle and Dante film. It’s a necessity. This was an era defined by the silence of the AIDS crisis and a very different kind of cultural expectation for young Latino men. Ari’s father, played by the always-excellent Eugenio Derbez, is a Vietnam veteran carrying ghosts he won't talk about.
That silence is hereditary.
The film uses the period setting to highlight the isolation. No iPhones. No social media. Just the radio and the vastness of the Texas landscape. When Dante goes away to Chicago, the distance feels permanent because, in 1987, it kind of was. Letters were the only bridge. The movie handles this transition with a groundedness that makes the eventual reunion feel earned rather than scripted.
Visual Storytelling and the "Secret" Language of the Movie
Director Aitch Alberto didn't want a "pretty" movie. She wanted an evocative one. The cinematography by Akis Konstantakopoulos uses a lot of natural light, which makes the El Paso heat feel tangible. You can almost smell the rain on the hot pavement during the summer storms.
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- The Truck: Ari’s truck isn't just a vehicle; it’s a sanctuary.
- The Stars: Astronomy represents the vastness of what they don't know about themselves.
- The Water: It’s where they learn to swim, literally and figuratively.
Unlike many modern films that over-explain everything through voiceover, this one trusts the audience. We see Ari’s frustration in the way he punches a bag or the way he looks at his mother (Eva Longoria). Longoria gives a surprisingly understated performance here. She’s not a "Desperate Housewife" anymore; she’s a mother trying to navigate a son who is a locked door.
There is a specific scene—the one involving a car accident—that shifts the entire tone. In the book, it’s visceral. In the Aristotle and Dante film, it’s filmed with a jarring, sudden violence that disrupts the poetic flow of the first half. It’s the moment the universe stops being a mystery and starts being a threat.
Dealing with the "Manly" Expectation
A major theme that critics often overlook is the "Mexican-American" part of the equation. This isn't just a "gay movie." It’s a movie about machismo and the specific pressure to be a "man's man" in a border town. Ari is named after a philosopher, but he lives in a world that values muscle and silence.
The film addresses the "Secrets of the Universe" by suggesting that the biggest secret is just being okay with your own heart. It’s a simple message, but for a kid in 1987 El Paso, it was a revolutionary one. The movie doesn't shy away from the hate crime that occurs later in the story, but it also doesn't let that violence define the boys. It’s a part of their reality, but not the sum of it.
Critical Reception and Why Some Fans Were Divided
It wasn't a universal slam dunk. Some fans of the book felt the pacing was too fast in the final act. The book is very internal, and translating "internal monologue" to "visual action" is the hardest job in screenwriting. Some felt the ending came a bit too abruptly.
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But let’s be real. Most book-to-film adaptations fail because they try to include every single chapter. Alberto made the executive decision to focus on the emotional beats. If you want every single detail, read the book. If you want the feeling of the book, watch the film.
The box office wasn't a blockbuster hit, but that’s not how we measure the success of a movie like this. Its success is in its longevity. It’s the kind of film that gets passed around on streaming platforms and becomes a "hidden gem" for kids who feel like they don't fit in.
The Music: More Than Just Background Noise
The soundtrack is a vibe. It features everything from The Smiths to more era-appropriate Spanish-language tracks. Music is the way Dante expresses himself, and the film uses it to bridge the gap between his artistic sensibilities and Ari’s more stoic nature. When "How Soon is Now?" plays, it’s not just an 80s trope. It’s the anthem of every outsider who ever felt "shut out" of the world.
How to Support and Watch the Aristotle and Dante Film
If you haven't seen it yet, you're missing out on one of the most sincere indie films of the last few years. It’s available on most VOD platforms like Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and sometimes bounces around on streamers like Hulu or Netflix depending on your region.
To truly appreciate what the filmmakers did, you should:
- Watch it twice. The first time is for the plot; the second time is for the background details you missed.
- Compare the ending. Read the final ten pages of the book immediately after watching the movie. The nuances in the dialogue are fascinating.
- Look for the cameos. Keep an eye out for a brief appearance by the author, Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
- Listen to the score. Isabella Summers (of Florence + The Machine) did the music. It’s ethereal and perfect for the desert setting.
The Aristotle and Dante film stands as a testament to persistence. It took a long time to get here, but the result is something that feels timeless. It doesn't matter if it’s 1987, 2012, or 2026—the struggle to map the "secrets" of your own heart is a universal experience.
Instead of waiting for a sequel (though the second book, There Will Be Other Summers, exists), take the time to sit with this one. Notice the way the light hits the desert. Pay attention to the silence between the boys. Sometimes, the most important things are the ones we don't say out loud.