Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

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.

I'll admit, I wasn't all that compelled to see this, at first. I wasn't sold on it being anything more than just another gay teen movie. However, it didn't take very long, at all, for this one to grab me by the heartstrings, and reel me in.

It's a very adorable and charming gay teen romance. It offers some really nice elements of beneficial friendship. The companionship between the two youths is very compelling.

I felt the whole thing to be extremely believable and relatable. Especially, considering it deals with what it's like being a Latino American gay youth, I felt like I could totally understand and relate with that experience, because it's presented in a very approachable way.

I like how the relationship between the two boys develops over time. How everything they go through brings them closer, not only with each other, but with their own personal feelings.

It's a movie which not only teaches us about overcoming bullying and homophobia, but also what finding true love and courage is all about.

It's a nice, positive and heartwarming little movie. I absolutely loved it, and highly recommend it.

Edit: I waited until after I wrote my review to read the others, and hadn't realized this was based on a book! Well, I guess that explains why it's so well-written. I don't often read fiction, but would seriously consider reading this book. As always, the people who have insist that the book is better. Well, I had no idea of that, and was still a little blown away by this movie. In fact, so blown away that I've actually re-watched it several times, which something I rarely do. So, that speaks very highly of how good this movie is.

As an aside, one of the parts in this movie I simply can't get over was when Aristotle tells Dante his name. I have to admit, that is one of the cutest scenes I've ever witnessed in my whole life, and I can't get how he said that to quit echoing through the back of my mind. It's almost as unforgettably charming as that time we witnessed a young Milo Ventimiglia proclaim "Nothiiiin'!" at the end of the short film, Must Be The Music. Wink twice, if you feel where I'm coming from.

In fact, now that I think of it, I'm going to add one more star, because I can't get over how charming this movie is. It actually reminds me of why I'm so proud to be alive, and what's so beautiful about life as a gay guy. It's not a perfect movie, but I think it deserves to be watched.

It's been a while since I've seen such a gentle wholesome film. I wish such a film existed when I was a teen. Superb performances from the cast, but major kudos to the young leads. The film hinges on their believability, likability, and chemistry - and they definitely rose to the challenge. I hope to see both of them in more projects.

I love the subtlety and naturalism of the film. Proof that lgbtq themed stories do not need to be pushy or preachy. Instead it felt relatable and real.

The cinematography is beautiful and naturalistic. The editing is mostly efficient and practical but there are moments with a dreamlike quality.

It should be required viewing for anyone lgbtq - but especially young people who need to see positive representation. Like I said, I wish a movie like this would have existed when I was a kid.

This is a beuatiful adaptation of Benjamin Alire Sáenz's book. There will be those who quibble with some of the choices, but considering the sheer challenge of transferring such a successful book, especially an emotional one like this one, onto the screen, this is an excellent take on the novel. It's a slow burn for Max Pelayo to truly come into his own as Ari: this is due to the character's own evolution, all repressed feelings and anger that slowly surface, along with the realization of who he is. It's a joy watching the actor rise to the occasion. Reese Gonzales immediately captures Dante, partially because of the insightful casting but also because Dante is well-defined from the start in the book. The two actors play off each other with great ease.

The director, Aitch Alberto, brings a careful hand to everything in this film, and you feel it. One choice that worked well was making Ari's aunt Ophelia more present. In the novel, she's almost like an idea, but here she's a presence onscreen and a reflection of Ari's own repressed self. That was a wise choice, along with keeping Dante's attack "off-stage" to avoid the sensationalism.

This is a film about two young men who are loners, in extremely different ways, and who simply love each other--almost immediately. By the time Ari comes to terms with himself and what he is feeling, the viewer, like the character, can finally exhale.

Sweet, moving, gentle, honest, beautifully shot. Aitch alberto is a clearly talented filmmaker and reese gonzales is perfect in his role as dante. Eugenio derbez is also great in this. It's clear that the people involved genuinely care about the book and making an accurate adaptation. If it had slowed down and allowed more time for background and character development, this would have probably been a 10/10. It just felt rushed. We needed to spend more time with the characters to understand their nuance. Nevertheless, as a huge fan of the book, i enjoyed this a lot. I have notes but i will probably rewatch.