Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Channelling the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people grasp at one another for temporary happiness.
"The urban landscape can be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and financial instability. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the underworld pale in comparison to the fear of state surveillance and jail time, represented by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the social system. The film ultimately serves as a poignant exploration into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the search for self within a unforgiving urban landscape.