The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Evoking the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker 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 feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The city can be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the dread of state surveillance and imprisonment, represented by the hovering figures of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the lost people who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film ultimately serves as a moving look into survival, chosen family, and the quest for self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
