Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Capturing the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The city are fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and monetary insecurity. Threats from shady figures in the underworld seem minor next to the dread of institutional observation and incarceration, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as a perceptive study of the lost people who have been failed by the social system. The film ultimately serves as a poignant examination into making ends meet, found community, and the pursuit of self within a harsh urban landscape.
