Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order

Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama focuses 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 wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.

On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and drug dealing.

A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism

The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for temporary happiness.

"The city can be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, 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 envy and economic precarity. Threats from dubious individuals in the shadow economy seem minor next to the fear of state surveillance and incarceration, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.

Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the system. The film stands as a moving examination into resilience, found community, and the pursuit of purpose within a harsh urban landscape.