The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Capturing the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s bracing 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; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The city can be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the anxiety about state surveillance and incarceration, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the lost people who have been failed by the social system. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, chosen family, and the quest for self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
