The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Evoking the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released 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 discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets are fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Threats from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about government monitoring and incarceration, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the system. The film ultimately serves as a poignant examination into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the quest for identity within a demanding urban landscape.
