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

Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace in the arms of others.

On an evening out with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of the sex trade and selling drugs.

A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism

The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.

In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for fleeting joy.

"The city can be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."

A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and financial instability. Threats from dubious individuals in the underworld are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and imprisonment, represented by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.

Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film stands as a moving examination into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the search for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.