Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Evoking the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama focuses 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) faces a critical turning point; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The city might be riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from dubious individuals in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the dread of government monitoring and imprisonment, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film functions as a poignant look into making ends meet, found community, and the search for self within a demanding urban landscape.
