The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of 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 night on the town with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape might be riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the fear of state surveillance and imprisonment, 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 social system. The film ultimately serves as a poignant look into making ends meet, chosen family, and the pursuit of purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.
