Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System

Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.

On an night on the town with his rowdy group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler more than twice his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their introductory rendezvous is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and drug dealing.

A Study of Understanding Rather Than Exploitation

Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.

In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people grasp at one another for fleeting joy.

"The city can be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."

A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control

Ronaldo is both a lover and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and economic precarity. Threats from nefarious characters in the underworld pale in comparison to the dread of institutional observation and incarceration, represented by the constant sight of police officers in the area.

Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film ultimately serves as a moving exploration into making ends meet, chosen family, and the quest for self within a unforgiving urban landscape.