The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System

Capturing the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s bracing drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.

On an night on the town with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and selling drugs.

A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism

The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.

In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.

"The urban landscape are fraught with peril, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."

A Complex Relationship of Love and Control

Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and economic precarity. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the anxiety about government monitoring and jail time, represented by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.

Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the lost people who have been failed by the social system. The film stands as a poignant look into survival, non-biological kinship, and the pursuit of purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.