Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The city can be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by jealousy and financial instability. Threats from shady figures in the underworld are overshadowed by the fear of institutional observation and jail time, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film ultimately serves as a moving look into resilience, found community, and the pursuit of identity within a demanding urban landscape.
