The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Capturing the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.
"The city might be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and financial instability. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about government monitoring and jail time, represented by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film functions as a moving exploration into making ends meet, found community, and the pursuit of identity within a harsh urban landscape.
