The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Channelling the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama centres on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The city are fraught with peril, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Dynamic 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 economic precarity. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of institutional observation and jail time, represented by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a moving examination into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the quest for self within a harsh urban landscape.
