The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Capturing the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Bathed in 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 shadowy world of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker 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 fleeting acts of kindness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The city can be fraught with peril, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the underworld seem minor next to the dread of government monitoring and imprisonment, represented by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the lost people who have been failed by the system. The film ultimately serves as a moving look into making ends meet, found community, and the search for self within a demanding urban landscape.
