The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The city are fraught with peril, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and economic precarity. Threats from dubious individuals in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and imprisonment, represented by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as a perceptive study of the lost people who have been failed by the system. The film functions as a poignant exploration into making ends meet, found community, and the search for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
