The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Evoking the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The city might be fraught with peril, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and financial instability. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the fear of government monitoring and imprisonment, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the system. The film ultimately serves as a moving exploration into making ends meet, chosen family, and the search for identity within a demanding urban landscape.
