The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System
Channelling the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The urban landscape can be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Dynamic 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. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the fear of government monitoring and imprisonment, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into making ends meet, found community, and the pursuit of purpose within a harsh urban landscape.
