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Evoking the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's gripping drama centres on those who inhabit the outskirts of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; deserted by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge in the arms of others.

On an night on the town with his boisterous group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is physical and passionate, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of the sex trade and selling drugs.

A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation

The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with brash fearlessness and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for temporary happiness.

"The urban landscape are riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can find their own family, too."

A Complicated Dynamic of Love and Control

Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence 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 institutional observation and imprisonment, epitomized by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.

Baby is especially potent as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a moving look into resilience, chosen family, and the quest for self within a demanding urban landscape.