The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Capturing the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The urban landscape might be riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from dubious individuals in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the anxiety about institutional observation and incarceration, represented by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, found community, and the search for identity within a harsh urban landscape.
