The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The city are fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from shady figures in the underworld pale in comparison to the fear of government monitoring and jail time, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film functions as a poignant look into survival, non-biological kinship, and the quest for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
