Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Capturing the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama centres on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets can be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and economic precarity. Threats from nefarious characters in the underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about state surveillance and jail time, epitomized by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the system. The film ultimately serves as a poignant exploration into resilience, found community, and the quest for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
