The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System
Capturing the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape are fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about institutional observation and imprisonment, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the system. The film stands as a heartfelt look into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the quest for identity within a demanding urban landscape.