The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Channelling the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The city are riddled with risk, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by jealousy and financial instability. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the underworld pale in comparison to the dread of state surveillance and jail time, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the lost people who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film stands as a poignant examination into making ends meet, found community, and the pursuit of self within a unforgiving urban landscape.