Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The city are riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and financial instability. Intimidation from shady figures in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the anxiety about state surveillance and imprisonment, represented by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the social system. The film functions as a poignant exploration into resilience, found community, and the pursuit of self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
