Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System
Evoking the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; abandoned by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape are fraught with peril, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and financial instability. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about state surveillance and jail time, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the system. The film functions as a moving exploration into resilience, chosen family, and the quest for self within a harsh urban landscape.
