The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Evoking the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released 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 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 strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The city can be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space 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 jealousy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about state surveillance and imprisonment, epitomized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the established structure. The film functions as a heartfelt examination into survival, chosen family, and the pursuit of self within a harsh urban landscape.
