Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Evoking the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the impressionable 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 significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets can be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about institutional observation and incarceration, represented by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the system. The film stands as a poignant look into survival, non-biological kinship, and the search for purpose within a harsh urban landscape.
