Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed 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 seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The city can be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the fear of government monitoring and jail time, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the system. The film stands as a poignant exploration into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the search for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
