Baby Review: An Astute Portrait of LGBTQ+ Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System

Channelling the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; abandoned by his parents, the wide-eyed young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.

On an night on the town with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and selling drugs.

A Study of Empathy Instead of Sensationalism

The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.

In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for momentary bliss.

"The streets are fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too."

A Complex 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 possessiveness and financial instability. Threats from nefarious characters in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the fear of state surveillance and imprisonment, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.

Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film stands as a poignant exploration into resilience, found community, and the search for purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.