The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order
Evoking the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama centres on those who inhabit the outskirts 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 discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets might be fraught with peril, 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 guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and economic precarity. Intimidation from dubious individuals in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the fear of institutional observation and incarceration, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film stands as a heartfelt look into making ends meet, found community, and the pursuit of purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.
