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Evoking the city's relentless energy and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama zooms in on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor 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 rowdy group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler significantly older than his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is intimate and charged, with an tinge of peril. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the shadowy world of prostitution and drug dealing.

A Study of Empathy Instead of Exploitation

Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with tender empathy as opposed to as a melodramatic morality play. Now going by the name of Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.

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

"The streets can be fraught with peril, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."

A Complicated Relationship of Love and Control

Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by possessiveness and economic precarity. Intimidation from dubious individuals in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the fear of state surveillance and incarceration, represented by the constant sight of police officers in the area.

Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film stands as a heartfelt exploration into survival, chosen family, and the quest for self within a demanding urban landscape.