The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets can be fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and economic precarity. Threats from nefarious characters in the underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about institutional observation and jail time, represented by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film functions as a poignant examination into making ends meet, chosen family, and the pursuit of purpose within a harsh urban landscape.
