The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Evoking the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.
"The urban landscape are fraught with peril, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and financial instability. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the fear of state surveillance and incarceration, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the lost people who have been failed by the established structure. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, found community, and the search for identity within a harsh urban landscape.
