Tuner is a film that feels impossible to dislike. A fun thriller on the surface with real characters underneath, confidently directed, with great sound design and score, and an extremely compelling protagonist. It is stylish without being showy, heartfelt without being heavy, and clever without losing its charm. The story takes him into surprising places while grounding itself in genuine relationships. Truly, what else could you want?
Its intriguing premise follows a young piano tuner named Niki (Leo Woodall) whose hyperacusis, an extreme sensitivity to sound, ended his career as a pianist. Now working as a tuner, he discovers that his condition lets him hear the inner clicks of a lock, giving him the ability to crack safes. With that, he soon finds himself pulled into a heist that places him and the ones he loves in a dangerous situation.
Director Daniel Roher, Oscar winner for the documentary Navalny, wanted his narrative feature debut to be an energetic experience, and he succeeds. The editing has a sharp rhythm, with lively piano tuning and safe-cracking montages that keep the film moving, elegantly marking the passage of time while keeping things light and fun. The sound design immerses us in the protagonist’s world, capturing Niki’s condition with striking precision and turning everyday noises into a kind of symphony. There is a hypnotic rhythm to the way sounds blend, matched perfectly by a snappy, jazzy score and amiable performances across the cast. Most impressive is how Roher balances it all. Crime thriller, character study, romance, and humor are in constant dialogue, each side complementing the other.
At the center is Leo Woodall, delivering an unquestionably star-making performance. The young actor, already effective in The White Lotus and earlier this year in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, proves he has the presence of a true leading man. He often lowers his eyes slightly, a look that makes him seem half confident and half lost in thought, yet never arrogant, with small details like his tattoos and quiet gestures revealing the character’s inner life. He plays Niki with reluctance and vulnerability, keeping us close even when his choices drift into morally questionable territory. The script deepens the character by making his condition a curse that destroyed his dream while a gift that makes him great at his job which forces him to live in the shadow of the dream, tuning pianos that are sometimes never even played. Even his relationships, particularly with Ruthie, constantly remind him of what he might have been. Beneath its shinny thriller surface, the film is a character study of a man slowly finding peace with himself and coming to terms with losing his biggest dream.
The dialogue and relationships feel just as true. The romance works not only because of the strong chemistry between the two actors but also because it nails the awkward honesty of their early moments together. Their conversations are filled with charming little exchanges (“thank you for being walked,” “I know what this is, you are my girlfriend”), and their personalities seem to blend naturally. The mentor bond with Dustin Hoffman is also warm and engaging, though the film keeps Hoffman off screen for long stretches and could have made more of his presence.
Several scenes completely immerse you. One has the orchestra perform Ruthie’s composition while Niki runs to get there (a great piece composed by Marius De Vries), another follows him breaking into the villain’s home after memorizing the sound of its password. The stakes feel tangible, and the film often corners Niki in ways that make us fear for him, even as we know he cannot help but push forward. The journey remains deeply satisfying, though the third act never raises the intensity and instead ties everything together in a neat and perhaps too likable way. It does close with a fantastic final scene, but the lead-up makes the resolution feel too easily earned. Alongside the underuse of Hoffman’s character, this keeps Tuner from reaching true classic status. Yet the film still delivers a fantastic experience, offering the same exhilaration as watching hands race confidently across the keys in a masterful piano performance.
This is part of Reviews On Reels TIFF 2025 Coverage. Due to the hectic rhythm of a film festival, it may be tweaked in the future.
Still courtesy of TIFF.