The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System

Capturing the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; abandoned by his parents, the innocent 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 meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow 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 sex work and drug dealing.

A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism

The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for temporary happiness.

"The streets can be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."

A Complex Dynamic of Love and Control

Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and economic precarity. Intimidation from shady figures in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about institutional observation and incarceration, represented by the looming presence of police officers in the area.

Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film functions as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the search for purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.