Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Channelling the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of 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 night on the town with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness 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, teeming with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape might be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and economic precarity. Intimidation from shady figures in the shadow economy seem minor next to the dread of state surveillance and jail time, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the lost people who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt exploration into making ends meet, found community, and the quest for self within a harsh urban landscape.
