Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order
Channelling the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama zooms in 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; 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 LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias 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 fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets can be riddled with risk, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the underworld pale in comparison to the dread of state surveillance and imprisonment, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the established structure. The film functions as a heartfelt look into making ends meet, chosen family, and the pursuit of self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
