Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Evoking the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape can be fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and monetary insecurity. Threats from shady figures in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the fear of government monitoring and incarceration, represented by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film stands as a poignant look into survival, non-biological kinship, and the search for identity within a harsh urban landscape.
