The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System

Channelling the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.

On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and drug dealing.

A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism

Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people cling on to one another for temporary happiness.

"The city can be fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."

A Complicated 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 possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Threats from nefarious characters in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the dread of government monitoring and jail time, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.

Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a moving exploration into resilience, chosen family, and the quest for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.