Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order
Capturing the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The city are fraught with peril, 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 bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and financial instability. Dangers posed by shady figures in the underworld pale in comparison to the fear of institutional observation and imprisonment, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film functions as a heartfelt examination into making ends meet, found community, and the search for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
