Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Evoking the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama centres on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; abandoned by his parents, the impressionable young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets might be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and financial instability. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the dread of government monitoring and jail time, epitomized by the hovering figures of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film functions as a heartfelt examination into resilience, found community, and the pursuit of identity within a harsh urban landscape.
