Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The urban landscape are fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and financial instability. Intimidation from dubious individuals in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about institutional observation and jail time, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into survival, found community, and the search for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
