Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Evoking the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice 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 quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for temporary happiness.
"The city are fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by jealousy and economic precarity. Threats from dubious individuals in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about institutional observation and incarceration, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film stands as a poignant look into resilience, found community, and the quest for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
