Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order
Capturing the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets can be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and economic precarity. Threats from shady figures in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and incarceration, represented by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film functions as a moving look into making ends meet, found community, and the quest for purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.
