The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Capturing the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a XXX cinema, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.
"The urban landscape might be fraught with peril, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and economic precarity. Threats from shady figures in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the fear of government monitoring and incarceration, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the lost people who have been failed by the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a moving examination into resilience, found community, and the quest for self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
