Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Evoking the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets might be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and financial instability. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about government monitoring and jail time, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, found community, and the search for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
