The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Evoking the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; abandoned by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets might be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Threats from nefarious characters in the shadow economy seem minor next to the fear of government monitoring and jail time, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the lost people who have slipped through the gaps the system. The film functions as a moving look into making ends meet, found community, and the pursuit of self within a demanding urban landscape.
