Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Channelling the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; abandoned by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets can be filled with danger, yet they are the place 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 jealousy and monetary insecurity. Threats from shady figures in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the anxiety about institutional observation and imprisonment, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt examination into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the pursuit of identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.