The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order
Channelling the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets are fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by jealousy and economic precarity. Threats from nefarious characters in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the anxiety about institutional observation and jail time, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the lost people who have been failed by the established structure. The film functions as a heartfelt look into survival, found community, and the search for self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
