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

Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s bracing drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.

On an evening out with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.

A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Exploitation

The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.

In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for temporary happiness.

"The streets are riddled with risk, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."

A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control

Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by jealousy and economic precarity. Threats from dubious individuals in the shadow economy seem minor next to the anxiety about state surveillance and imprisonment, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.

Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film stands as a moving examination into survival, found community, and the pursuit of identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.