Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Evoking the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The city might be riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the fear of institutional observation and jail time, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film stands as a poignant look into survival, chosen family, and the pursuit of identity within a harsh urban landscape.
