Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Channelling the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.
"The urban landscape can be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Threats from shady figures in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the dread of government monitoring and incarceration, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film stands as a poignant exploration into resilience, found community, and the search for self within a demanding urban landscape.
