Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Evoking the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama centres on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and drug dealing.
A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for fleeting joy.
"The streets can be riddled with risk, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and economic precarity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the underworld are overshadowed by the anxiety about institutional observation and incarceration, represented by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt examination into survival, chosen family, and the quest for identity within a demanding urban landscape.
