The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Capturing the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.
"The urban landscape might be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and economic precarity. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the underworld seem minor next to the fear of state surveillance and incarceration, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film stands as a heartfelt look into making ends meet, chosen family, and the quest for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
