The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order

Capturing the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.

On an evening out with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and drug dealing.

A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Exploitation

The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.

In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people grasp at one another for momentary bliss.

"The streets might be riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."

A Complex Relationship of Love and Control

Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from shady figures in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the anxiety about government monitoring and incarceration, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.

Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the lost people who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a moving look into making ends meet, found community, and the search for self within a harsh urban landscape.