The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Evoking the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The city are filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the anxiety about government monitoring and imprisonment, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a moving examination into survival, non-biological kinship, and the search for self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
