Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the Established Order
Evoking the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets might be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Relationship 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. Intimidation from dubious individuals in the underworld are overshadowed by the anxiety about institutional observation and incarceration, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film stands as a poignant examination into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the quest for identity within a demanding urban landscape.