The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System
Channelling the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.
"The urban landscape can be filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and financial instability. Threats from nefarious characters in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the dread of government monitoring and jail time, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the lost people who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, found community, and the quest for self within a demanding urban landscape.
