Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order
Evoking the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of 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 instances of tenderness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape are fraught with peril, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and economic precarity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about state surveillance and jail time, represented by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the lost people who have been failed by the social system. The film ultimately serves as a poignant look into making ends meet, chosen family, and the pursuit of self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
