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Capturing the urban restlessness and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) faces a critical turning point; deserted by his parents, the innocent young man finds solace in the arms of others.

On an night on the town with his rowdy group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington encounters Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo promptly ushers Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and narcotics trafficking.

A Study of Empathy Instead of Exploitation

Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his customers, Wellington offers more than his youth and his body, but also moments of care.

In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with bustling alleyways and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as rootless people hold fast to one another for fleeting joy.

"The city might be fraught with peril, yet they are where they can forge familial bonds, too."

A Complex Relationship of Love and Control

Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their relationship is derailed by envy and financial instability. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the anxiety about state surveillance and jail time, epitomized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.

Baby is especially potent as a perceptive study of the disenfranchised individuals who have fallen through the cracks the system. The film ultimately serves as a poignant exploration into making ends meet, found community, and the search for self within a unforgiving urban landscape.