The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System

Evoking the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving 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 finds solace in the arms of others.

On an night on the town with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and selling drugs.

A Study of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism

The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.

In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people grasp at one another for temporary happiness.

"The streets are filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."

A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from shady figures in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the fear of state surveillance and imprisonment, epitomized by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.

Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the system. The film functions as a poignant examination into survival, non-biological kinship, and the pursuit of self within a unforgiving urban landscape.