Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Evoking the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing 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) faces a critical turning point; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The city can be riddled with risk, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex 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 financial instability. Intimidation from dubious individuals in the shadow economy seem minor next to the fear of government monitoring and imprisonment, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the system. The film stands as a moving look into making ends meet, chosen family, and the pursuit of identity within a demanding urban landscape.
