The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Channelling the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the wide-eyed young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy as opposed to as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people cling on to 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 Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and financial instability. Dangers posed by shady figures in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the fear of state surveillance and jail time, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as a perceptive study of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film ultimately serves as a moving examination into survival, chosen family, and the pursuit of identity within a demanding urban landscape.
