Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets can be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and economic precarity. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the fear of state surveillance and incarceration, epitomized 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 system. The film stands as a moving exploration into survival, non-biological kinship, and the search for self within a harsh urban landscape.
