The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping 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 seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets can be riddled with risk, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the underworld seem minor next to the dread of government monitoring and incarceration, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film stands as a poignant exploration into making ends meet, chosen family, and the pursuit of identity within a harsh urban landscape.
