Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Colorful crime thriller has violence, drugs, innuendo.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Baby Bandito
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Inspired by true events, BABY BANDITO is a Chilean series about a teenager from the wrong side of the tracks who successfully pulled off the heist of the century. Nicolás Contreras plays Kevin Tapia, a teen who uses social media, hangs out on the skateboard track with his best friend Panda (Lukas Vergara), and who sometimes turns to crime to make ends meet for his mom and grandmother. He always dreams of being rich and famous, but when he falls in love with Génesis (Francisca Armstrong), a young woman from a more privileged family), he's driven by he desire to woo her by offering her with a life filled with everything her heart desires. Meanwhile, some gangsters known as "The Butchers" have developed a sophisticated plan to steal $7 million, scheduled to be transported through Santiago's international airport. When the street smart Kevin gets his hands on the The Butchers' playbook, he recruits Panda, Génesis, and fellow thieves Mística (Carmen Zabala), Pantera (Pablo Macaya) to help steal the cash from them. The successful heist makes the crew immediately wealthy, and makes Kevin the most wanted fugitive in the country. Kevin and Génesis go on to enjoy a life of privilege in Italy, but they must deal with law enforcement, the criminals they stole from, and the people they left behind.
Is It Any Good?
This entertaining albeit far-fetched crime thriller is inspired by the story of infamous Chilean skateboarder Kevin Olguín Sepulveda. The Baby Bandito became a wealthy fugitive in Europe after successfully executing a 2014 airport robbery of over $7 million in cash. While the series offers a colorful, sometimes-humorous, and generally distorted interpretation of events, Baby Bandito focuses on some of the moral questions raised after the crew steals the money from other criminals. In a more contemporary twist, the events that transpire also serve as a broader statement about a generation of social media users whose seek constasnt gratification from the attention they receive online, despite any potential consequences that can come from making their lives so public. It's more of a fictional story than a true-crime drama, but still delivers an engaging narrative.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what drives Kevin Tapia towards a life of crime. Is he ever really concerned about the moral consequences of his actions? Or is he just worried about getting caught?
How accurate is the story told in Baby Bandito to what really happened in 2014? At what point does the series go from being a true crime story to a story of fiction?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 31, 2024
- Cast : Nicolás Contreras , Francisca Armstrong , Lukas Vergara
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : February 8, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate