Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Channelling the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker 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 (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape might be filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and financial instability. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the shadow economy seem minor next to the fear of institutional observation and jail time, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film stands as a poignant look into making ends meet, chosen family, and the search for self within a harsh urban landscape.
