Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Evoking the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The city can be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by jealousy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the fear of government monitoring and imprisonment, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film stands as a moving exploration into making ends meet, chosen family, and the search for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
