Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order
Evoking the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets can be filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the anxiety about government monitoring and incarceration, epitomized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film functions as a moving exploration into making ends meet, chosen family, and the pursuit of self within a demanding urban landscape.
