The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Capturing the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving 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 impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for temporary happiness.
"The urban landscape can be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and economic precarity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the fear of state surveillance and incarceration, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the system. The film functions as a poignant examination into making ends meet, chosen family, and the quest for self within a harsh urban landscape.
