Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order
Channelling the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and selling drugs.
A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people grasp at one another for temporary happiness.
"The city might be riddled with risk, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and economic precarity. Threats from nefarious characters in the underworld are overshadowed by the anxiety about government monitoring and incarceration, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the system. The film ultimately serves as a poignant exploration into survival, found community, and the search for identity within a harsh urban landscape.
