The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System

Evoking the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.

On an late-night excursion with his lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and selling drugs.

A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism

The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people cling on to one another for momentary bliss.

"The streets are riddled with risk, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too."

A Complicated Relationship of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by jealousy and financial instability. Intimidation from shady figures in the shadow economy seem minor next to the dread of state surveillance and jail time, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.

Baby is most powerful as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film ultimately serves as a moving examination into survival, chosen family, and the quest for identity within a harsh urban landscape.