Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order
Channelling the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.
"The urban landscape might be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the underworld seem minor next to the fear of institutional observation and imprisonment, represented by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the lost people who have slipped through the gaps the system. The film stands as a poignant examination into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the pursuit of purpose within a harsh urban landscape.
