🔗 Share this article Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Survivors Adrift in the Established Order Channelling the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man seeks comfort in the arms of others. On an night on the town with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and drug dealing. A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness. In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for fleeting joy. "The urban landscape might be filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too." A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the underworld are overshadowed by the anxiety about state surveillance and jail time, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol. Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the lost people who have been failed by the system. The film ultimately serves as a moving exploration into survival, chosen family, and the pursuit of purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.