Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the System
Channelling the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.
In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals hold fast to one another for temporary happiness.
"The urban landscape are riddled with risk, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about institutional observation and imprisonment, represented by the constant sight of police officers in the area.
Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the lost people who have been failed by the social system. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt examination into survival, chosen family, and the pursuit of purpose within a harsh urban landscape.
