Based on the book by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, set in 1987 El Paso, “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” is the tale of two teenage Mexican-American loners as they explore their friendship and the difficult road to self-discovery.
Resentful at the world, 15-year-old Aristotle Mendoza wants to blend in and be left alone, but the summer he meets free spirit Dante Quintana at the local swimming pool, everything changes. Dante is everything Ari isn't, and his wanderlust for life and artistic spirit shake something loose in Ari; finally, he has a friend.
A near magical being, Dante disrupts Aristotle's world, introducing him to music, poetry, and lessons about the sky. Dante gives Aristotle permission to live in an ever-expansive universe, making it harder and harder for him to maintain the façade of isolation that has protected him for so long.
Their summer of adventure comes to an abrupt halt when the boys are torn apart. Armed with a new perspective, Aristotle uses Dante's absence to understand who he wants to be in the world. Ari must decide if he is going to live in the world of infinite possibilities that Dante represents.
At first fear holds Aristotle hostage and he retreats into his lonely existence. But Ari soon realizes he can't unsee the world through Dante's eyes. If only he would let go of the secrets he didn't even know he was keeping and embrace the wonders of the universe.