Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Channelling the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; abandoned by his parents, the impressionable young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets can be fraught with peril, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the anxiety about government monitoring and jail time, represented by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the established structure. The film functions as a poignant examination into resilience, found community, and the pursuit of identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
