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Evoking the city's relentless energy and pulsating life of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama zooms in on those who exist on the margins of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.

On an late-night excursion with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Illuminated by the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of the sex trade and narcotics trafficking.

A Study of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism

The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with gentle sympathy as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.

"The city are riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."

A Complicated Dynamic of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and financial instability. Dangers posed by nefarious characters in the underworld seem minor next to the fear of government monitoring and imprisonment, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers in the area.

Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the lost people who have been failed by the system. The film stands as a heartfelt look into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the pursuit of identity within a harsh urban landscape.