Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Channelling the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
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 engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets can be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
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 dubious individuals in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and jail time, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film stands as a heartfelt look into survival, chosen family, and the quest for self within a demanding urban landscape.
