The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Evoking the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
Caetano depicts 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 brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets are riddled with risk, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the anxiety about state surveillance and imprisonment, represented by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the system. The film functions as a poignant exploration into making ends meet, found community, and the pursuit of purpose within a harsh urban landscape.
