Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System
Evoking the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed 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 discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow 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 the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts 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 approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The urban landscape are fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and economic precarity. Threats from shady figures in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of institutional observation and jail time, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film ultimately serves as a moving look into survival, chosen family, and the quest for purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.
