The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System
Channelling the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama centres on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape might be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and financial instability. Threats from nefarious characters in the underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about institutional observation and imprisonment, epitomized by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film stands as a heartfelt look into survival, non-biological kinship, and the quest for self within a demanding urban landscape.
