The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order
Channelling the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of 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 electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The city are fraught with peril, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Threats from dubious individuals in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and jail time, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the lost people who have been failed by the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a poignant exploration into resilience, found community, and the pursuit of identity within a demanding urban landscape.
