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Evoking the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's gripping drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an ever-changing metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.

On an night on the town with his rowdy group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a XXX cinema, their introductory rendezvous is physical and passionate, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and narcotics trafficking.

A Study of Empathy Rather Than Sensationalism

The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for momentary bliss.

"The urban landscape can be filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can forge familial bonds, too."

A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by jealousy and economic precarity. Intimidation from shady figures in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the fear of government monitoring and jail time, represented by the looming presence of police officers in the area.

Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a poignant look into survival, found community, and the quest for purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.