The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Evoking the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people grasp at one another for fleeting joy.
"The city are fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and financial instability. Threats from dubious individuals in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the fear of state surveillance and incarceration, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the lost people who have been failed by the system. The film ultimately serves as a poignant exploration into making ends meet, found community, and the search for self within a demanding urban landscape.
