WOLFGANG

Spain, 2025, 110 minutes, Colour.

Miki Esparbe, Jordi Catalan, Angels Gonyalons, Anna Castillo, Berto Romero.

Directed by Javier Ruiz Caldera.

Here is a drama well worth seeing. Clearly, in a Spanish film with a title like Wolfgang, there will be more than a strong musical connection. And there is.

The setting is Barcelona, a 10-year-old boy, named Wolfgang by his pianist mother, suffers the death of his mother who has arranged that Wolfgang will be cared for by Carles, his actor father who has been absent from his life so far. Familiar enough material, the boy wary of this new father present in his life when he never knew he had one, a reliance on his mother’s mother, a loving grandmother.

In itself, this theme of relationships and tensions has the potential for being interesting and emotional. And it is. However, the difference with this story is that Wolfgang is intelligent, IQ of 152, an ambitious genius, pianist, and, at 10, wanting to be the best in the world., Possibilities for heightened drama. But, there is more. Wolfgang is autistic, Asperges.

The performance by young actor, Jordi Catalan, holds our attention throughout the film. Being on the spectrum, he is focused, literal, highly talented, but, at this stage of his life, absolutely intolerant and disdainful of anyone and anything that does not measure up to his expectations. Which means that there is a lot of drama in the father-reluctant-son relationship, the relationship taking a lot of time, the challenge to the father because of his absence and focus on his career, his having to face himself and the consequences of his absence from his son.

Because Wolfgang is highly self-sufficient and has an ambition to train as a pianist in an Institute in Paris, he is able to organise himself to the train to get there. But, in his disdain of those who are “below 100”, he underestimates that adults will see him as a minor in need of some kind of care.

The scene where he does his audition at the music school, his skill in playing, his memories of his mother, makes for high drama. So, while we do focus on Wolfgang, finding him very trying at times, the demand on our understanding and compassion for his condition, the film also is a good study of the absent father, discovering responsibilities, reflecting on his life and career, the challenge as to how much of himself he will keep to his son and sacrifice himself for his son.

There is just a quick wink at the end of the film which seems far too cute and this reviewer was momentarily taken aback. Not quite the final moment expected. But, during the credits, the filmmakers have the last laugh, presenting us with a comic scene which brings us back to the reality of what we have experienced in watching the character and development of Wolfgang and his father.

1. The title, Mozart, music, precocious youngster? This theme throughout the film with Wolfgang and his talent with the piano? His ambitions?
2. Wolfgang, aged 10, The strategies, high IQ, the issue of autism, dramatised?
3. Barcelona, aspects of the city, homes, apartments, schools, outings, funeral, the visit to Paris, the sites of Paris?
4. The musical score, the piano pieces, aspects of jazz and performance?
5. The film as a study of a 10-year-old boy with Asperges, IQ 152, his contempt for those “Below 100”? The absent father? The devotion of his mother, music, care, but her depression, suicide? The role of his grandmother? The impact of his mother’s death?
6. Wolfgang, his personality, self-assured, aspects of arrogance, demands and expectations, his not lying, aspects of truth, expectations, waiting at the red light when no traffic, knowledge rather than imagination? His talent with the piano, his mother’s training in Paris, his ambitions to go to the school?
7. The grandmother, care for Wolfgang, but her not disturbing his emotions, not following through on the boy coping with his mother’s death?
8. The father, absent, the reasons, his meeting his wife, the times in Paris, her pregnancy, return to Spain, his acting, staying in France? The arrangement for Wolfgang and his not seeing him? The mother arranging with the father to come back and care for his son? The reaction of the father, his work as an actor, his friendship with his agent, possibilities for interviews, auditions, his role as the cook in the soap opera? His friendship with people at the studio, the relationship with the actress?
9. Wolfgang, no idea of a father, his reaction to his father, disdain, the details of behaviour, at school and his boredom, expectations of his father, waking in the morning, taking him to school, picking him up, his father being late, not accepting apologies? The outings with his father? Going to the beach, Wolfgang uncomfortable, the children dumping him in the water? Hostility, returning to his grandmother, the grandmother and her criticisms of the father?
10. His plan to go to Paris, sending the application, the response, his own initiative, the money, to buy the ticket, his father and the audition? Going to the station, the authorities, Wolfgang as a minor, and needing protection, calling his father?
11. The challenge to the father, his decision to take Wolfgang to Paris, travelling together, Wolfgang and his response to the city, the group playing in the street, Wolfgang and his fascination, the jazz, the invitation to join, his picking up the rhythms and style quickly, the effect on him?
12. The role of flashbacks about the mother, Wolfgang’s memories and devotion? The audition, nervous, playing, the images of his mother, stopping, unable to go on, leaving, sense of failure?
13. The return to Barcelona, the intervention of the grandmother, her wanting custody, condemnation of the father? His challenge to the grandmother to speak the truth about the mother’s death?
14. The aftermath for Wolfgang, his future, where he should live, the role of his grandmother, appreciating the sacrifice of his father, the change of heart, the reconciliation?
15. Wolfgang’s final wink, too cute for what has gone before? Counterbalanced by the comedy of the father, the other actor getting the main role, the father acting as a corpse? A wry ending instead of the sentimental?