Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Capturing the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets might be filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and financial instability. Threats from shady figures in the shadow economy seem minor next to the dread of government monitoring and incarceration, represented by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the system. The film functions as a moving look into resilience, chosen family, and the quest for self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
