🔗 Share this article The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order Evoking the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others. On an evening out with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and selling drugs. A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness. In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people cling on to one another for momentary bliss. "The streets are fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too." A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and economic precarity. Threats from shady figures in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the anxiety about government monitoring and incarceration, represented by the constant sight of police officers on patrol. Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film functions as a moving look into survival, found community, and the search for purpose within a harsh urban landscape.