The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from 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 lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and touching naivety. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets are riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex 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 possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the shadow economy seem minor next to the dread of government monitoring and imprisonment, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the system. The film stands as a moving examination into resilience, found community, and the search for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
