The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order
Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting 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 tender empathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets are filled with danger, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the underworld are overshadowed by the anxiety about government monitoring and incarceration, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the system. The film ultimately serves as a poignant look into making ends meet, chosen family, and the pursuit of purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
