The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Capturing the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; 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 gay and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets are filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Threats from nefarious characters in the underworld pale in comparison to the dread of state surveillance and incarceration, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a moving look into survival, non-biological kinship, and the quest for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
