Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching 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) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.
"The city can be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Relationship 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 envy and economic precarity. Threats from dubious individuals in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the fear of state surveillance and jail time, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film functions as a moving examination into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the search for self within a harsh urban landscape.
