The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Evoking the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort 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 (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The urban landscape might be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the fear of institutional observation and incarceration, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the lost people who have been failed by the established structure. The film functions as a heartfelt exploration into survival, found community, and the pursuit of purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
