The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Evoking the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The city can be filled with danger, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and financial instability. Intimidation from shady figures in the underworld are overshadowed by the fear of institutional observation and jail time, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt look into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the search for purpose within a harsh urban landscape.
