The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Capturing the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the impressionable 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 crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker 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 hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets can be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, 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 possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about state surveillance and incarceration, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers in the area.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film stands as a moving look into making ends meet, chosen family, and the pursuit of purpose within a harsh urban landscape.