The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System
Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from 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 finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls grasp at 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 Complex Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the fear of state surveillance and jail time, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film stands as a moving look into survival, found community, and the quest for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
