Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order
Channelling the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed 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 meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The city might be filled with danger, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and financial instability. Dangers posed by shady figures in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the fear of institutional observation and jail time, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film stands as a poignant examination into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the search for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
