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Capturing the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s bracing drama centres on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.

On an night on the town with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler over double his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a adult movie theater, their initial encounter is physical and passionate, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of sex work and narcotics trafficking.

A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation

The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the hectic energy 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 fleeting joy.

"The city might be filled with danger, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."

A Complex Relationship of Love and Control

Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by possessiveness and financial instability. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the criminal underworld are overshadowed by the dread of government monitoring and jail time, represented by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.

Baby is particularly impactful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the social system. The film stands as a moving examination into making ends meet, non-biological kinship, and the quest for purpose within a unforgiving urban landscape.