The Film Baby Review: A Sharp Portrait of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System
Evoking the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; abandoned by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.
On an late-night excursion with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
A Portrait of Understanding Instead of Exploitation
The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts 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, overflowing with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for temporary happiness.
"The streets might be fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."
A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power
Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and economic precarity. Threats from shady figures in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the fear of institutional observation and incarceration, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.
Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the lost people who have been failed by the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a poignant look into resilience, chosen family, and the pursuit of identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
