The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System
Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape might be riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about government monitoring and incarceration, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, found community, and the quest for purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.