Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Channelling the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and touching naivety. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets are filled with danger, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the fear of state surveillance and incarceration, represented by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film stands as a poignant exploration into making ends meet, found community, and the quest for self within a demanding urban landscape.
