[NewFest Pride 2023] ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE -- An Adaptation That Lacks the Depth of the Original Novel

Review by Tatiana Miranda

Eleven years after the release of the critically-acclaimed YA novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe comes the film adaption of the same name. Directed by Aitch Alberto, Aristotle and Dante is a story about two Mexican-American teenagers growing up in Texas during the 1980s. Closed-off Aristotle "Ari" Mendoza meets the outlandish Dante Quintana in the summer of 1987. They quickly become close friends as Dante tries to pull Ari out of his comfort zone and get him to open up about his past and hopes for the future. Then, unexpectantly, Dante has to leave at the end of the summer for his dad's job in Chicago. 

Over the school year, the boys try to keep in touch, but as the boys turn sixteen, they start to grow and learn more about themselves and their sexuality. Dante, who was already very lively and cultured due to his English professor father, comes to terms with his sexuality faster than Ari, but that doesn't mean it was easy for him. Ari, on the other hand, comes from a family that doesn't tend to talk about their emotions. Their response to Ari's brother's time in prison showcases this the most. 

Ari, who is jokingly referred to as "more Mexican" than Dante, is plagued with the concept of machismo, which prevents him from being honest about his emotions toward Dante. Dante's and Ari's variation in their cultural identities is one of the most unique things about the novel, as it is not just a queer story but a story about the effects of cultural perceptions of the queer community. The author of the novel, Benjamin Alire Sáenz, makes it a point to critique the way most Mexicans perceive the LGBTQ+ community. Meanwhile, this theme is put on the back burner for the film, and it only plays a role in driving the relationship between Ari and Dante instead of defining them as individuals.​

Whereas the book was an intellectual look at young love as a taboo in an underrepresented community, the film comes across as a cheesy love story. The movie works so hard to push the characters together that it doesn't allow them to properly develop on their own. By turning the film into more of a romance, it lessens the fact that it is ultimately a coming-of-age story about a teenage boy as he faces his own internal bias and comes to terms with who he is. 
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There are some standout moments, such as Dante's introduction to Ari's parents, but ultimately the movie is full of unmemorable scenes and awkward bits of dialogue. Even the film's captivating aesthetics and cinematography can't make up for what is an underwhelming adaption of a beloved book about the complexities of growing up queer.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe screened at the 2023 edition of NewFest Pride, which runs June 1-5.​

Rating: 2/5