The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes 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 evening out with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.
"The urban landscape are fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Threats from shady figures in the underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about state surveillance and jail time, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film functions as a moving look into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the quest for identity within a demanding urban landscape.
