Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Capturing the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The city can be riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and economic precarity. Threats from shady figures in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the dread of state surveillance and imprisonment, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the search for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
