Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System
Capturing the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town 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. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets are filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and financial instability. Intimidation from shady figures in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the anxiety about government monitoring and jail time, represented by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film stands as a poignant exploration into making ends meet, chosen family, and the search for purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.
