The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Evoking the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; abandoned by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons 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 hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets are fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about government monitoring and incarceration, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film ultimately serves as a poignant exploration into making ends meet, chosen family, and the quest for purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.
