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Capturing the urban restlessness and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, filmmaker Caetano's unflinching drama zooms in on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man seeks comfort in the arms of others.

On an evening out with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the flickering glow 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 drug dealing.

A Portrait of Understanding Rather Than Sensationalism

The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and poignant gullibility. To his patrons, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.

In the hectic energy of São Paulo, filled with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a gnawing loneliness, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.

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

A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and economic precarity. Intimidation from shady figures in the underworld pale in comparison to the dread of institutional observation and incarceration, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.

Baby is particularly impactful as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film stands as a heartfelt examination into resilience, chosen family, and the quest for identity within a harsh urban landscape.