The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order
Evoking the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who live on the fringes of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.
On an night on the town with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and drug dealing.
A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people cling on to one another for momentary bliss.
"The streets can be fraught with peril, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."
A Complex Relationship of Love and Control
Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and economic precarity. Threats from nefarious characters in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the fear of government monitoring and jail time, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the system. The film ultimately serves as a moving look into making ends meet, found community, and the pursuit of purpose within a demanding urban landscape.
