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Capturing the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama centres on those who live on the fringes of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Recently released from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) stands at a pivotal juncture; left behind by his parents, the wide-eyed young man discovers refuge 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 (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler over double his age. Shrouded in the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the underground scene of prostitution and selling drugs.

A Study of Understanding Instead of Exploitation

Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding as opposed to as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also moments of care.

In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, teeming with crowded backstreets and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for temporary happiness.

"The streets are fraught with peril, yet they are where they can find their own family, too."

A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control

Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and economic precarity. Threats from shady figures in the criminal underworld pale in comparison to the dread of state surveillance and jail time, represented by the constant sight of police officers making their rounds.

Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the lost people who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film functions as a moving examination into survival, found community, and the pursuit of self within a harsh urban landscape.