The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Channelling the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of 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 queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The urban landscape are riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and financial instability. Dangers posed by shady figures in the shadow economy seem minor next to the fear of institutional observation and incarceration, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the system. The film functions as a poignant examination into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the pursuit of identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
