The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System

Evoking the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s bracing 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; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.

On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.

A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation

The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.

In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.

"The city might be filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."

A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and financial instability. Threats from nefarious characters in the underworld pale in comparison to the fear of government monitoring and incarceration, represented by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.

Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the lost people who have been failed by the established structure. The film functions as a heartfelt exploration into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the search for identity within a harsh urban landscape.