🔗 Share this article Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System Evoking the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama centres 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) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others. On an night on the town with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of the sex trade and drug dealing. A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care. In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people hold fast to one another for momentary bliss. "The streets might be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too." A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and economic precarity. Threats from nefarious characters in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the fear of institutional observation and incarceration, epitomized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area. Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the search for purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.