Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Capturing the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape can be riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and financial instability. Threats from dubious individuals in the underworld pale in comparison to the dread of state surveillance and incarceration, epitomized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film ultimately serves as a moving exploration into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the quest for purpose within a harsh urban landscape.
