Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System

Capturing the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.

On an late-night excursion with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and narcotics trafficking.

A Study of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation

The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.

In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.

"The streets are riddled with risk, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."

A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control

Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about government monitoring and imprisonment, epitomized by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.

Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the system. The film ultimately serves as a poignant examination into resilience, found community, and the quest for purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.