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Evoking the metropolitan unease and dynamic spirit of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's unflinching drama centres on those who inhabit the outskirts of an perpetually shifting metropolis. Fresh out of 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 lively group of gay and non-binary friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a strapping, magnetic hustler over double his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a neon-lit porn cinema, their first meeting is sensuous and erotic, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the clandestine realm of prostitution and drug dealing.

A Study of Understanding Instead of Sensationalism

Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a sensationalist cautionary tale. Now using the alias Baby, he enters his commercial trysts with swaggering confidence and poignant gullibility. To his clients, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the feverish excitement of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and brightly painted facades, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls grasp at one another for momentary bliss.

"The city can be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can forge familial bonds, too."

A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is at once a romantic interest and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by possessiveness and financial instability. Threats from nefarious characters in the shadow economy are overshadowed by the dread of government monitoring and imprisonment, represented by the looming presence of police officers on patrol.

Baby is most powerful as an astute portrait of the disenfranchised individuals who have slipped through the gaps the established structure. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt exploration into survival, found community, and the pursuit of purpose within a harsh urban landscape.