The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order
Channelling the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama centres on those who exist on the margins 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 innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The city are riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the underworld are overshadowed by the fear of government monitoring and jail time, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.
Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the lost people who have been failed by the social system. The film stands as a heartfelt examination into survival, non-biological kinship, and the search for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
