The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order
Capturing the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The urban landscape are filled with danger, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and economic precarity. Threats from dubious individuals in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the fear of government monitoring and incarceration, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film ultimately serves as a moving look into survival, non-biological kinship, and the pursuit of identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
