Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Evoking the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; 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 encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape can be fraught with peril, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by jealousy and economic precarity. Intimidation from shady figures in the underworld pale in comparison to the fear of state surveillance and imprisonment, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the established structure. The film functions as a heartfelt exploration into survival, non-biological kinship, and the quest for identity within a demanding urban landscape.
