Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order

Channelling the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.

On an evening out with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and narcotics trafficking.

A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism

Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.

In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people grasp at one another for temporary happiness.

"The streets can be riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."

A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the underworld seem minor next to the dread of state surveillance and incarceration, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.

Baby is most powerful as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film ultimately serves as a moving exploration into resilience, found community, and the quest for identity within a demanding urban landscape.