The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Evoking the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama zooms in 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) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets might be riddled with risk, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from dubious individuals in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the anxiety about government monitoring and incarceration, represented by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the system. The film stands as a heartfelt look into making ends meet, found community, and the search for self within a harsh urban landscape.
