Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Channelling the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
Caetano depicts 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 approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. 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 busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets might be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and financial instability. Threats from nefarious characters in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the anxiety about state surveillance and jail time, represented by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film stands as a poignant exploration into survival, found community, and the search for purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.
