Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order

Channelling the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.

On an evening out with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.

A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation

The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.

"The streets are fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."

A Complex Relationship of Love and Control

Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Threats from shady figures in the underworld are overshadowed by the dread of state surveillance and incarceration, represented by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.

Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the lost people who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film functions as a heartfelt look into making ends meet, chosen family, and the search for purpose within a harsh urban landscape.