The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Channelling the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man seeks comfort 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 (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness 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, filled with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.
"The city might be filled with danger, yet they are also the space 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 possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about institutional observation and jail time, represented by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the lost people who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film stands as a heartfelt look into making ends meet, found community, and the search for self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
