The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order
Evoking the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama centres on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; abandoned by his parents, the impressionable young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people grasp at one another for temporary happiness.
"The urban landscape are filled with danger, yet they are also the space 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 envy and financial instability. Dangers posed by shady figures in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the dread of state surveillance and jail time, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the social system. The film functions as a heartfelt look into survival, chosen family, and the pursuit of purpose within a harsh urban landscape.
