The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System
Evoking the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his rowdy group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The city might be fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and financial instability. Intimidation from shady figures in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of government monitoring and imprisonment, represented by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the system. The film stands as a moving examination into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the search for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
