The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Channelling the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama centres 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) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the impressionable young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his lively group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets might be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and economic precarity. Intimidation from shady figures in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about government monitoring and incarceration, represented by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.
Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film ultimately serves as a moving examination into survival, found community, and the search for self within a demanding urban landscape.
