The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Evoking the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s bracing drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets might be fraught with peril, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the dread of government monitoring and incarceration, epitomized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film ultimately serves as a poignant look into survival, chosen family, and the search for identity within a harsh urban landscape.
