Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Channelling the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The city might be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and financial instability. Threats from shady figures in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and incarceration, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the lost people who have been failed by the system. The film functions as a poignant examination into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the pursuit of purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.
