The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Capturing the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a XXX cinema, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The city can be filled with danger, yet they are also the space 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 bond is sabotaged by envy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from shady figures in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the anxiety about state surveillance and incarceration, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film functions as a moving examination into making ends meet, chosen family, and the pursuit of self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
