Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order
Capturing the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets might be fraught with peril, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from shady figures in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the fear of institutional observation and incarceration, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film functions as a heartfelt look into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the quest for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
