The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Capturing the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his rowdy group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets are filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and economic precarity. Intimidation from shady figures in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and jail time, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the lost people who have been failed by the system. The film functions as a heartfelt exploration into survival, chosen family, and the pursuit of identity within a harsh urban landscape.
