Three Hundred Seventy-Five Pages and the job is to reduce it to One Hour Thirty-Seven Minutes on film and keep it honest and authentic. The original source material by author Benjamin Alite Sáenz is named TIME Magazine's "Best YA Book of All Time" (2021)" and selected as a "Printz Honor Book" who describes it as a "tender, honest exploration of identity." Publishers Weekly adds that "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" distills lyrical truths about family and friendship. That's some undertaking by Aitch Alberto, who serves this film masterfully as its screenwriter, producer and director. The ability to pluck the essence of the book's major emotional beats speaks of a complete immersion into the characters created by Mr Sáenz's and who continue their journey in the follow up book "Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World." The casting of Max Pelayo as Aristotle was brilliant, as was Reese Gonzalez as Dante.

Rarely does a movie come about that lingers with the viewer sufficiently so that they will be motivated to keep them alive in their hearts by reading the book. With the follow up book already available, that adds additional motivation to read them both.

With your imagination aided by Max and Reese's portrayal, it'll be easy going for even the most finicky readers.

There's bed a few similar entries like the film Red, White and Royal Blue and TV series like Young Royals and Heartstopper that deals in young adult first love. This movie tops them all in character development and likability. Done well, as it is done here is a treat to watch.

My 8 rating would be 8.5 if decimals were available. It misses a 9 by just a bit, maybe fifteen more minutes would have been helpful, as the story moves a bit too quickly in the middle.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a 2022 movie based on the award-winning novel by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. It tells the story of two Mexican-American boys, Aristotle "Ari" Mendoza and Dante Quintana, who meet at a swimming pool in 1987 El Paso and form a deep friendship that changes their lives. The movie follows their journey of self-discovery, identity, sexuality, and family, as they face the challenges and joys of growing up.

The movie is written and directed by Aitch Alberto, who does a commendable job of translating the novel's poetic and emotional tone to the screen. She also adds some new scenes that enrich the story and the characters, such as a visit to Dante's aunt in Mexico City and a confrontation with a homophobic bully. The movie is also beautifully shot by Akis Konstantakopoulos, who captures the sun-drenched landscapes of Texas and Mexico, as well as the intimate moments between the boys.

The movie is anchored by the performances of Max Pelayo and Reese Gonzales, who play Ari and Dante with authenticity and charisma. They have a natural chemistry that makes their relationship believable and engaging. They also convey the complex emotions of their characters, such as Ari's anger and insecurity, and Dante's curiosity and optimism. The movie also features a stellar supporting cast, including Eugenio Derbez and Eva Longoria as Dante's parents, Verónica Falcón and Isabella Gomez as Ari's mother and sister, Luna Blaise as Ari's love interest, and Kevin Alejandro as Ari's estranged father.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a movie that will appeal to fans of the novel, as well as anyone looking for a heartfelt and honest portrayal of queer teen love. The movie is not perfect, as it sometimes feels rushed and uneven in its pacing, but it is still a worthy adaptation that honors the spirit and message of the novel. The movie is a celebration of friendship, family, culture, and identity, that will make you laugh, cry, and think. I give it 8 stars out of 10.

I am so grateful I got the chance to watch this film through TIFF's digital screening. I have followed this movie's journey since 2018 and it was surreal to sit and finally enjoy this story, made so beautifully and with so much love.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is tender and real. It doesn't only show the characters, it sees them. It is gorgeously constructed with dreamy cinematography by Akis Konstantakopoulos, and a beautiful soundtrack to match. Max and Reese truly understood their characters. They captured the quirks, the deadpan jokes, and the mannerisms of teenage boys figuring themselves out. They are awkward, they are silly, they are young. They don't know who they are and they piece it together on screen, in small stumbles and in leaps. They are the perfect representations of Aristotle and Dante.

It is written with love, it is filmed with love, it is directed with love. After watching for the second time in one night, with a headache from crying, I felt like love had been given back to me, too. When a story is so beautiful, it demands to be seen over and over, and this is one of those. It feels like a huge, crushing, beautiful hug. Both fans of the book and those who have never picked it up will love this adaptation; it holds something for everyone.