Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order

Evoking the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from 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 late-night excursion with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.

A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Exploitation

Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.

In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as adrift individuals cling on to one another for fleeting joy.

"The streets are filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."

A Complex Dynamic of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and economic precarity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of institutional observation and jail time, represented by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.

Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt exploration into survival, found community, and the quest for self within a demanding urban landscape.