Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Evoking the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s bracing drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts 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 feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The urban landscape might be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space 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 relationship is derailed by possessiveness and financial instability. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the underworld are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and jail time, symbolized by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film stands as a moving look into making ends meet, found community, and the quest for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
