Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
The director portrays 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 cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape are fraught with peril, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and financial instability. Intimidation from dubious individuals in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the dread of state surveillance and imprisonment, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film stands as a moving examination into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the search for identity within a harsh urban landscape.
