The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order
Evoking the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The city are fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and financial instability. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the anxiety about state surveillance and imprisonment, represented by the hovering figures of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the quest for self within a harsh urban landscape.
