The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Capturing the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.
On an evening out with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of the sex trade and selling drugs.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for momentary bliss.
"The urban landscape are filled with danger, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and financial instability. Intimidation from nefarious characters in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the dread of government monitoring and imprisonment, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film functions as a poignant examination into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the quest for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
