The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Channelling the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; abandoned by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his rowdy group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a XXX cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and selling drugs.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and touching naivety. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The city are fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and financial instability. Intimidation from shady figures in the underworld pale in comparison to the dread of institutional observation and incarceration, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the lost people who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film functions as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, found community, and the pursuit of self within a demanding urban landscape.
