Tuner (2026)
Directed by: Daniel Roher
Premise: Hyperacusis, a condition that causes extreme sensitivity to sound, has made Niki (Leo Woodall) a gifted piano tuner. He’s recruited by thieves who use his skills to open safes. Meanwhile, Niki falls for a music conservatory student (Havana Rose Liu).
What Works: Tuner is superficially a heist movie but it’s really a love story in two guises. The first is paternal. Niki is supervised by Harry, a master piano tuner played by Dustin Hoffman. The relationship between Niki and Harry is very agreeable. Harry has taken Niki under his wing in both a professional and a personal way, trying to set him up with a career but also a social life, and Niki has assumed the role of an adult child, caring for his aging father figure. Hoffman’s performance is terrific, exhibiting both affection and frailty. Tuner is also a romance. Niki meets Ruthie, a music conservatory student finishing her studies. Romances only work if the audience wants to see the couple live happily ever after and actors Leo Woodall and Havana Rose Liu have that romantic chemistry. As a love story, Tuner is about what Niki is prepared to do for the people he cares for which leads him to participate in a series of lucrative heists. The safe cracking sequences are done well and Tuner is made with style. The filmmakers manipulate the sound mix and the volume to convey the physical pain of Niki’s condition. Actor Leo Woodall is exceptional as Niki. He’s the kind of character who does the wrong thing for the right reason and Woodall expresses the character’s inner life though the physical details of his performance.
What Doesn’t: Tuner follows the narrative template of a protagonist getting what he wants through a lie. It’s inevitable that this lie be exposed. From the moment they meet, we can tell that Niki and Ruthie are going to fall in love with each other and that Niki’s agreement with the gangsters will go badly. There’s enough character depth to make it interesting but the overall trajectory of the story is quite predictable. Things go south due to a major revelation that is not believable. The reveal nearly ruins the movie. It’s too coincidental and too fantastic to be credible and cuts against the grounded tone of the rest of the picture. The filmmakers manage to course correct by staying attuned to their characters and concluding the film on a sadly ironic and appropriately ambiguous note.
Bottom Line: Tuner impressively balances a crime thriller with a romance. The film suffers from some predictable and incredulous plotting but Tuner is distinguished by the nuanced performances and its filmmaking craftsmanship.
Episode: #1101 (May 31, 2026)