The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the clandestine realm of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
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 endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The city might be fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and financial instability. Threats from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the dread of institutional observation and imprisonment, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the system. The film functions as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, chosen family, and the quest for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
