Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order
Channelling the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The city are filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and economic precarity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the underworld pale in comparison to the dread of government monitoring and incarceration, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film stands as a moving examination into resilience, found community, and the pursuit of identity within a harsh urban landscape.
