The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order

Channelling the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.

On an evening out with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a adult movie theater, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and selling drugs.

A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism

Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.

In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as adrift individuals grasp at one another for fleeting joy.

"The city are riddled with risk, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."

A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control

Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by jealousy and financial instability. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the dread of state surveillance and jail time, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.

Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the lost people who have been failed by the established structure. The film functions as a moving exploration into survival, non-biological kinship, and the quest for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.