Based on the series of best-selling YA novels by Benjamin Alire Sáenz that began in 2012, the published works were first adapted into audio-books narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda who was nominated for a Grammy Award for it. LatinX filmmaker, Aitch Alberto who had done independent queer films wrote the script and pitched it to Sáenz. What Alberto created seems to be a pretty faithful translation of the text to the screen. Sáenz's work is notable for its centering Hispanic or Latino characters, as well as LGBTQ characters, while pushing past stereotypes or issues of discrimination with an eye to artistic expression. Alberto creates a straight-forward and immersive, period piece that is quietly yet powerfully authentic. It's a sweet and heartfelt, coming-of-age tale. Yes, there have been LGBTQ films from Mexico, films by Julián Hernández for example, as well as films about the experiences of LGBTQ people in various other, Latin American countries. Prior to Looking (2014) or Love, Victor (2020), there haven't been much about the queer male experience from the Chicano point-of-view on the big screen in the United States.
Max Pelayo, in his feature debut, stars as Aristotle Mendoza aka "Ari," a 15-year-old living in El Paso, Texas. He's the son of two Mexican Americans who might be first or even second-generation immigrants. His father is Jaime, played by Eugenio Derbez (CODA and Dora and the Lost City of Gold), a man who used to serve in the military and isn't a man of many words or much artistic expression. These qualities have been passed onto Ari, as he doesn't speak much and his room for example is quite spartan, no decorations and just blank walls. In fact, the only thing that Ari seems to have in his room is an old alarm clock. Actually, it's not an old clock. It's a contemporary one because Ari lives in the year 1987.
Reese Gonzales (Young Sheldon and The Terminal List) co-stars as Dante Quintana, a fellow classmate who is also the son of two Mexican Americans. Reese doesn't himself feel Mexican, probably because he doesn't speak Spanish that well or at all. He's called a "pocho." Ari is the opposite. Ari is in fact very fluent in Spanish. Dante is also the opposite of Ari in that Dante's bedroom is cluttered with stuff that is representative of his artistic expressions, be it drawing or music. Dante's father, Sam Quintana, played by Kevin Alejandro (Fire Country and True Blood), is a writer and collects art or appreciates art for sure. As much as Ari is a product of his father, so is Dante.
What bonds Ari and Dante is the fact that despite being different in their outlook or interests and how they even express themselves or lack thereof, they both are isolated to certain degrees. Ari is literally a loner who isolates himself because he can't connect with other teenagers at school or in his neighborhood. Through voice-over narration, which helps to center us in his head, we learn that Ari has difficulty communicating his thoughts and feelings. This is mainly due to him not sharing the orientation of fellow boys who only talk about liking girls. Dante doesn't get voice-over narration, but we soon gather that his isolation probably stems from him knowing he's queer or gay and wanting to avoid possible abuse or violence that could come from the homophobia of the time period. Alberto never depicts that homophobic violence on screen. It's more implied, but it's subtly underlined with TV news archive footage of the AIDS epidemic and gay protests.
At one point, Dante says the title of the film and book. It's in reference to a camping trip that exposes Dante's interest in astronomy. However, the title is clearly a metaphor for a different kind of discovery, that of discovery not of outer space but instead inner space, that of what's happening inside the mind, specifically Ari's mind, which is why the voice-over narration almost feels necessary. The continued voice-over narration isn't tedious, as it becomes a tool to get through a section of the film that involves Ari and Dante writing letters to each other. It works on a Terrence Malick level of brilliant use of narration, as well as the use of the El Paso landscape. The discovery, as well as the distance, also invokes a sort of teenage, Mexican-American version of Brokeback Mountain (2005), only not as tragic.
Pelayo's performance also helps in that middle section of Ari and Dante's distance. It also gives Alberto more time and more excuses to focus her camera on Pelayo's handsome face and form. At several points during the film, Ari's aunt or "tia" calls him the "most beautiful boy in the universe" and the way Alberto's camera frames him certainly makes it true. The expression of love from Ari and the questioning of his sexuality feel vital and strong and makes this film equally vital and strong.
Rated PG-13 for strong violence, language, teen drug/alcohol use and smoking.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 36 mins.
In theaters.