🔗 Share this article Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System Evoking the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others. On an late-night excursion with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and narcotics trafficking. A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care. In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people cling on to one another for temporary happiness. "The city can be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too." A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and financial instability. Threats from dubious individuals in the underworld seem minor next to the fear of institutional observation and incarceration, represented by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds. Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the lost people who have been failed by the social system. The film stands as a moving exploration into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the quest for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.