The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order
Capturing the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The city might be riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and economic precarity. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about institutional observation and jail time, represented by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the social system. The film ultimately serves as a poignant look into resilience, chosen family, and the search for self within a harsh urban landscape.
