The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Channelling the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; abandoned by his parents, the impressionable young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of 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 enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and touching naivety. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The urban landscape might be fraught with peril, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the fear of institutional observation and jail time, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.
Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the established structure. The film stands as a heartfelt look into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the pursuit of purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.
