Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Evoking the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The city might be riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the fear of institutional observation and incarceration, represented by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the lost people who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film functions as a moving exploration into resilience, found community, and the quest for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
