Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Evoking the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The city can be riddled with risk, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the underworld are overshadowed by the anxiety about institutional observation and jail time, represented by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a poignant examination into survival, found community, and the search for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
