Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Channelling the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The city can be filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from dubious individuals in the shadow economy seem minor next to the dread of state surveillance and jail time, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt exploration into making ends meet, chosen family, and the quest for purpose within a harsh urban landscape.
