Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order
Channelling the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s bracing drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays 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 engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape can be fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and financial instability. Threats from shady figures in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the fear of state surveillance and jail time, represented by the hovering figures of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the lost people who have been failed by the social system. The film functions as a heartfelt exploration into survival, non-biological kinship, and the quest for self within a harsh urban landscape.
