The Film Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Lost in the Established Order

Channelling the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted 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 muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and selling drugs.

A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism

The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also moments of care.

In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for fleeting joy.

"The streets can be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."

A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control

Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and monetary insecurity. Threats from dubious individuals in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the fear 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 slipped through the gaps the social system. The film functions as a poignant look into making ends meet, chosen family, and the pursuit of purpose within a demanding urban landscape.