Channelling the metropolitan unease and vibrancy of São Paulo, Marcelo Caetano’s gripping drama focuses 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) finds himself at a crossroads; deserted 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 meets Ronaldo (Ricardo Teodoro), a hunky, charismatic hustler significantly older than his age. Shrouded in the flickering glow of a neon-lit porn cinema, their initial encounter is intimate and charged, with an edge of danger. Ronaldo swiftly initiates Wellington to the clandestine realm of sex work and narcotics trafficking.
The director portrays Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding instead of as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington provides not just his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.
In the hectic energy of São Paulo, overflowing with crowded backstreets and vibrant storefronts, there’s a persistent isolation, as unmoored souls hold fast to one another for momentary bliss.
"The urban landscape might be riddled with risk, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."
Ronaldo is both a lover and a sheltering paternal presence to Wellington, but their bond is sabotaged by envy and monetary insecurity. Threats from shady figures in the criminal underworld seem minor next to the dread of institutional observation and imprisonment, symbolized by the constant sight of police officers on patrol.
Baby is particularly impactful as a keen observation of the forgotten souls who have fallen through the cracks the established structure. The film functions as a poignant look into making ends meet, chosen family, and the search for identity within a unforgiving urban landscape.
A passionate golfer and journalist with over a decade of experience covering PGA tours and equipment innovations.