Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Channelling the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets might be fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and economic precarity. Threats from shady figures in the underworld are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and incarceration, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt examination into resilience, found community, and the quest for self within a harsh urban landscape.