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Capturing the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama centres on those who exist on the margins of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.

On an night on the town with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the pulsating light of a XXX cinema, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and drug dealing.

A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism

Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.

In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.

"The urban landscape might be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."

A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control

Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a guardian-like mentor to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by shady figures in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the anxiety about state surveillance and imprisonment, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers in the area.

Baby is most powerful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have been failed by the system. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt examination into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the quest for self within a demanding urban landscape.