The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias 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 feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets can be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Threats from nefarious characters in the shadow economy seem minor next to the dread of institutional observation and incarceration, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the lost people who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film stands as a moving examination into resilience, chosen family, and the pursuit of purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.
