Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape can be fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and monetary insecurity. Threats from nefarious characters in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the anxiety about state surveillance and incarceration, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film functions as a heartfelt examination into making ends meet, found community, and the pursuit of purpose within a harsh urban landscape.
