The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order
Evoking the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (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 rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Bathed in the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
A Study of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington offers more than 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 gnawing loneliness, as rootless people hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets can be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Dynamic of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and financial instability. Threats from nefarious characters in the shadow economy seem minor next to the dread of government monitoring and imprisonment, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the established structure. The film functions as a moving examination into survival, found community, and the quest for self within a demanding urban landscape.
