The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Evoking the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. 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 crowded backstreets and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape might be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and financial instability. Threats from dubious individuals in the underworld are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and jail time, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the lost people who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film functions as a poignant look into survival, chosen family, and the pursuit of self within a demanding urban landscape.
