The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets might be fraught with peril, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and financial instability. Threats from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about state surveillance and jail time, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the established structure. The film stands as a moving examination into making ends meet, found community, and the search for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
