Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order
Evoking the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted 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 gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape are fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and financial instability. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the fear of institutional observation and incarceration, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the system. The film ultimately serves as a moving examination into survival, chosen family, and the search for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
