Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Capturing the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama centres on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape might be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and monetary insecurity. Threats from dubious individuals in the underworld are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and incarceration, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film functions as a moving examination into resilience, chosen family, and the quest for purpose within a harsh urban landscape.
