Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Channelling the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets might be filled with danger, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and economic precarity. Threats from shady figures in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and incarceration, epitomized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the social system. The film stands as a moving exploration into making ends meet, chosen family, and the quest for identity within a demanding urban landscape.
