The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order
Channelling the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama centres 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; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The urban landscape might be filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Threats from dubious individuals in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the anxiety about institutional observation and jail time, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film functions as a poignant look into resilience, found community, and the search for self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
