Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Evoking the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape can be fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the underworld seem minor next to the dread of state surveillance and imprisonment, represented by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt look into survival, chosen family, and the search for self within a demanding urban landscape.
