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Channelling the metropolitan unease and pulsating life of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who inhabit the outskirts of an constantly evolving metropolis. Newly freed 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 seeks comfort in the arms of others.

On an evening out with his lively group of queer and non-binary friends, Wellington crosses paths with Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Illuminated by the wavering neon of a adult movie theater, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and selling drugs.

A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation

The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he engages in his paid liaisons with swaggering confidence and endearing innocence. To his patrons, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also fleeting acts of kindness.

In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, filled with crowded backstreets and vibrant storefronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people grasp at one another for fleeting joy.

"The urban landscape are filled with danger, yet they are also the space where they can discover chosen kin, too."

A Complex Dynamic of Love and Control

Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and economic precarity. Intimidation from shady figures in the shadow economy seem minor next to the anxiety about institutional observation and incarceration, epitomized by the hovering figures of police officers on patrol.

Baby is especially potent as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the social system. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt examination into resilience, non-biological kinship, and the pursuit of identity within a harsh urban landscape.