The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Capturing the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation
Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets can be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."
A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the underworld seem minor next to the dread of government monitoring and imprisonment, epitomized by the hovering figures of police officers in the area.
Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, found community, and the quest for self within a demanding urban landscape.
