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Capturing the urban restlessness and pulsating life of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s unflinching drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an ever-changing metropolis. Newly freed from juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; left behind by his parents, the impressionable young man finds solace in the arms of others.

On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the pulsating light of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of the sex trade and drug dealing.

A Study of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation

The film illustrates Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy instead of as a melodramatic morality play. Now adopting the moniker Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with cocky bravado and touching naivety. To his patrons, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.

In the hectic energy of São Paulo, teeming with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as unmoored souls cling on to one another for fleeting joy.

"The streets can be 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 simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and monetary insecurity. Dangers posed by dubious individuals in the shadow economy pale in comparison to the fear of government monitoring and jail time, symbolized by the looming presence of police officers making their rounds.

Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have been failed by the social system. The film stands as a poignant look into survival, chosen family, and the quest for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.