The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System

Evoking the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; abandoned by his parents, the wide-eyed young man seeks comfort 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 (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and selling drugs.

A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism

The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for momentary bliss.

"The city can be filled with danger, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."

A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about state surveillance and incarceration, epitomized by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.

Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film stands as a heartfelt examination into survival, chosen family, and the search for self within a demanding urban landscape.