Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System
Capturing the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The urban landscape might be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and financial instability. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and incarceration, represented by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, chosen family, and the pursuit of self within a demanding urban landscape.
