The Film Baby Film Analysis: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the System
Capturing the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s bracing drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy as opposed to as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.
"The city are fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of government monitoring and jail time, represented by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film stands as a poignant exploration into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the quest for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
