Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Evoking the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts 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 innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets are riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about state surveillance and jail time, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film stands as a poignant look into survival, found community, and the pursuit of identity within a demanding urban landscape.
