Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Capturing the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s bracing drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets are fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the underworld are overshadowed by the anxiety about institutional observation and incarceration, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a poignant exploration into making ends meet, found community, and the quest for identity within a demanding urban landscape.
