The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Capturing the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets are riddled with risk, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and incarceration, represented by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film stands as a moving examination into resilience, found community, and the search for self within a demanding urban landscape.
