Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Capturing the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace 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 more than twice his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and touching naivety. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The city are filled with danger, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Threats from shady figures in the shadow economy seem minor next to the anxiety about state surveillance and imprisonment, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film functions as a moving examination into making ends meet, found community, and the quest for self within a harsh urban landscape.
