The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light 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 sex work and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets might be riddled with risk, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and financial instability. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the shadow economy seem minor next to the fear of government monitoring and imprisonment, represented by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the social system. The film functions as a heartfelt exploration into survival, chosen family, and the quest for purpose within a harsh urban landscape.
