The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Evoking the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The city are filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and financial instability. Dangers posed by shady figures in the underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about institutional observation and jail time, represented by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the system. The film functions as a heartfelt examination into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the pursuit of self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
