Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order

Channelling the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.

On an night on the town with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and drug dealing.

A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation

The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for momentary bliss.

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

A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the anxiety about government monitoring and imprisonment, represented by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.

Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the social system. The film stands as a moving exploration into resilience, chosen family, and the pursuit of self within a unforgiving urban landscape.