The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order
Capturing the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; abandoned by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets can be fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the anxiety about state surveillance and jail time, represented by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film stands as a heartfelt examination into making ends meet, found community, and the search for self within a demanding urban landscape.
