🔗 Share this article The Film Baby Review: An Astute Depiction of Queer Brazilian Hustlers Adrift in the System Capturing the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's bracing drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man discovers refuge in the arms of others. On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a XXX cinema, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and narcotics trafficking. A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and touching naivety. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness. In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as rootless people hold fast to one another for fleeting joy. "The city can be fraught with peril, yet they are where they can discover chosen kin, too." A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Threats from dubious individuals in the underworld pale in comparison to the fear of government monitoring and incarceration, represented by the hovering figures of police officers making their rounds. Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the system. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into resilience, chosen family, and the pursuit of identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.