Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System
Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (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 intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The city might be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and financial instability. Threats from nefarious characters in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the fear of government monitoring and incarceration, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film stands as a heartfelt examination into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the quest for identity within a demanding urban landscape.
