5 out of 5 stars
- Crime, Drama, Music, Romance, Thriller – R – 1h 49m
“Tuners try to create harmony out of chaos, so they have to be okay with imperfections,” explains Niki (Leo Woodall) to his love interest Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu) in the new drama-thriller Tuner, directed by Daniel Roher. The film is a near-perfect movie and one of the best stories you are likely to see this year.
It follows Niki, a former piano prodigy with perfect pitch who switched careers and became a tuner because of hyperacusis. This medical condition makes ordinary sounds almost impossible to tolerate due to extreme sensitivity. Ironically, that same condition also helps him when he repairs pianos. He is in business with Harry (Dustin Hoffman), a former jazz musician with failing hearing who serves as Niki’s mentor, boss, friend, and something of a father figure.
An unexpected incident leads Niki to discover that he has a remarkable talent for opening safes. This skill becomes very useful when he suddenly needs a lot of cash, very fast, and finds himself working with a gang of robbers who quickly recognize his value.
Tuner is not just an exciting thriller; it also draws attention to a medical condition most of us have never heard of and gives a glimpse of how one sees and feels the world through the filter of this obstacle. This is an ensemble film where every casting choice is a winning one. The film and its characters paint a realistic New York story, where the collision of culture and crime feels more possible than anywhere else. Only in New York could those worlds intersect so naturally and lead to such unexpected outcomes.
The film exudes verisimilitude because Woodall’s portrayal is so genuine and seductive in its simplicity — he listens and listens, and he suffers and suffers, but without pretense or artifice. His silence invites our empathy. As a result, when a moment of genuine emotional eruption arrives, the contrast with the muted, quiet scenes that precede it is especially impactful and palpable. Niki’s condition shapes every relationship in his life.There is something poignant about his friendship with Harry. One man hears too much, the other not enough. One is tormented by sound, the other slowly loses it.
Niki’s relationship with Ruthie is equally compelling. He sees himself as an unrealized virtuoso whose promising career was cut short by a cruel twist of fate. Ruthie may not be as talented as Niki, but she gets to pursue the musical life he believes should have been his.
What begins as a heist movie ultimately elevates itself into a story about dashed dreams and the desire to break free from the cocoon of isolation to be seen and validated. It is a familiar tune, but one played with uncommon grace.
