Oh to be young again!
The trailer for the upcoming queer coming-of-age film Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe dropped today and has us reminiscing about our misspent youth.
Based on a popular YA novel of the same name by gay author Benjamin Alire Saenz, the film explores the point in your teens when the line between friendship and romantic love starts to blur together — an experience that can be even harder to navigate when you’re trying to understand your own sexuality at the same time.
This boy-meets-boy movie centers around two Mexican-American teenagers in EL Paso, Texas in 1987 — we love a movie set in the '80s! Max Pelayo plays 15-year-old Aristotle Mendoza whose isolated life is changed one summer when he meets free spirit Dante Quintana, played by Reese Gonzales.
The film, also starring Eva Longoria, was written and directed by Aitch Alberto (marking her directorial debut), and was produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda through his company 5000 Broadway Productions. The Hamilton creator, who joined the film after Alberto reached out on social media, also narrated the audiobook version of Sáenz’s novel.
The trailer shows the two becoming fast friends, meeting each other’s families, running around in their underwear in the rain (adorable!), and then going through heartache when Aristotle has to move away for a year.
In the film, Dante turns Aristotle’s world upside down, introducing him to “music, poetry, and lessons about the sky,” according to a release. Dante expands Aristotle’s world and slowly breaks down his “façade of isolation that has protected him for so long.” But all of this is challenged when the two are split apart and they begin to question their sexualities.
The trailer was only released earlier today, and the film won't premier in theaters until Sept. 8, but there are already exuberant comments from fans.
"This movie is going to be spectacular, I can already tell," one fan wrote. "I think Reese and Max stole the show. They brought Ari & Dante to life in the most beautiful ways."
"My angsty little teenage heart is overwhelmed!" another person commented. "This story means so much to so many, it's amazing!"
"I will be watching this film alone, and I don't care if anyone/everyone sees me crying like a baby in the theater," a commenter admitted.
It looks like a dreamy, sun-dappled film that will make you nostalgic for your teenage years and will warm even the most skeptical queer heart.
See Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe only in theaters Sept. 8, 2023.