Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order
Capturing the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; abandoned by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets are fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and financial instability. Intimidation from dubious individuals in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of institutional observation and jail time, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film stands as a heartfelt look into survival, chosen family, and the pursuit of self within a harsh urban landscape.
