Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System

Capturing the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.

On an evening out with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.

A Study of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation

The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.

In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.

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

A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control

Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and economic precarity. Threats from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the fear of government monitoring and imprisonment, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.

Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film stands as a poignant examination into survival, found community, and the pursuit of identity within a demanding urban landscape.