🔗 Share this article Baby Review: A Sharp Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System Evoking the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama focuses 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) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others. On an evening out with his rowdy group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and drug dealing. A Portrait of Empathy Instead of Exploitation Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness. In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people cling on to one another for fleeting joy. "The urban landscape are fraught with peril, yet they are the place 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 envy and monetary insecurity. Intimidation from shady figures in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the anxiety about government monitoring and incarceration, represented by the constant sight of police officers in the area. Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the social system. The film functions as a poignant exploration into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the search for purpose within a demanding urban landscape.