Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order

Capturing the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; 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 queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and selling drugs.

A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism

Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.

"The city might be fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."

A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from dubious individuals in the underworld seem minor next to the dread of government monitoring and incarceration, represented by the constant sight of police officers in the area.

Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the lost people who have been failed by the social system. The film functions as a moving examination into making ends meet, found community, and the pursuit of self within a unforgiving urban landscape.