The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Capturing the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets can be filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and financial instability. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the fear of government monitoring and incarceration, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film functions as a moving look into survival, chosen family, and the quest for self within a demanding urban landscape.
