Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System
Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets might be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from dubious individuals in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the dread of institutional observation and jail time, represented by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the established structure. The film stands as a poignant exploration into resilience, chosen family, and the search for self within a harsh urban landscape.
