The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Evoking the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed 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 crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape can be filled with danger, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about institutional observation and imprisonment, represented by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into making ends meet, found community, and the quest for purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.
