🔗 Share this article Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Survivors Lost in the System Evoking the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama focuses 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; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others. On an night on the town with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and selling drugs. A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness. In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people grasp at one another for momentary bliss. "The streets are 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 simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and financial instability. Dangers posed by shady figures in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the fear of government monitoring and incarceration, represented by the hovering figures of police officers in the area. Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film functions as a moving look into survival, chosen family, and the search for purpose within a harsh urban landscape.