🔗 Share this article The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the Established Order Channelling the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama centres on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others. On an night on the town with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and narcotics trafficking. A Study of Understanding Instead of Exploitation The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness. In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people cling on to one another for temporary happiness. "The city might be riddled with risk, yet they are also the space where they can find their own family, too." A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control Ronaldo is both a lover and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of government monitoring and jail time, represented by the hovering figures of police officers in the area. Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt look into survival, found community, and the quest for purpose within a harsh urban landscape.