Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System

Evoking the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s bracing drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.

On an late-night excursion with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.

A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Exploitation

Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.

In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people cling on to one another for momentary bliss.

"The city can be riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."

A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and financial instability. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the fear of government monitoring and imprisonment, represented by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.

Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film ultimately serves as a moving exploration into survival, found community, and the quest for self within a harsh urban landscape.