The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Evoking the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; abandoned by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets might be 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 at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and economic precarity. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the fear of government monitoring and jail time, represented by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the established structure. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, found community, and the search for self within a unforgiving urban landscape.
