Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Evoking the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving 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 innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The city are fraught with peril, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the underworld pale in comparison to the dread of institutional observation and jail time, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film functions as a moving exploration into resilience, chosen family, and the quest for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
