Tuner (2026) – Review

Quick thoughts:

• Leo Woodall and Havana Rose Liu are engaging leads who have excellent chemistry.
• Dustin Hoffman is a hoot.
• It must be tough for actors to pretend like they are playing piano. It takes a lot of commitment to make “playing piano” faces for long periods of time. 
• There are some insane coincidences. You’ll see
• Neat idea for a film
• Co-Sound Designer Johnnie Burn (The Zone of Interest, Under the Skin, 28 Years Later, Nope, Waves) is a legend. Excellent hire. 
• Grade – 6.8 out of 10

Directed and co-written by Academy Award-winning director Daniel Roher (Navalny), Tuner is a likable crime thriller/romance that’s kept in key by Leo Woodall and Havana Rose Liu. In the press notes, Roher mentions that he wanted to direct a film that a teenage Roher would be excited to watch, and it helps put the film in perspective. At its core, Tuner is wildly predictable and features several absurd coincidences, but the character motivations and setup make it an enjoyable watch. Older cinephiles will know exactly where the movie is headed, but younger audiences will be charmed by Leo Woodall, Havana Rose Liu, and the propulsive pacing. 

The film revolves around a nice guy named Niki White (Leo Woodall) who spends his days tuning pianos with his mentor Harry Horowitz (Dustin Hoffman – loving life). The two drive around New York City in Harry’s van (that’s loaded with Knick-knacks) and argue about tuna sandwiches, mercury poisoning, hamburgers, and medical bills. While tuning pianos, their rich customers ask if they can repair their toilets (which leads to a very funny price negotiation), and wonder why untouched pianos need a tune-up. Hoffman and Woodall are so good together that it wouldn’t be a shame if the film solely focused on them arguing while tuning pianos. 

During their bickering sessions, we learn that Niki is a retired piano prodigy who suffers from an auditory condition named hyperacusis. The condition turns most sounds into unbearably loud noises, which is why Niki has to wear earplugs and noise-cancelling headphones that help make his life in New York City bearable. Niki’s hypersensitive hearing comes in handy when Harry and his wife, Marla (Tovah Feldshuh) need a safe opened up because Harry doesn’t remember the combination. After watching a YouTube tutorial, Niki cracks the safe with ease, which proves helpful at his next job when he helps a “security specialist” named Uri (Lior Raz) open a combination lock safe with the aid of his hypersensitive hearing. This leads to dangerous safecracking gigs that help Niki pay off the $36,000 in medical debt that Harry accrues during a hospital stay caused by his failing health. 

Tuner is a crime thriller, so it needs a love story, and a likable relationship happens when Niki meets a college student named Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu) who is finishing up her degree at a music conservatory. Niki impresses Ruthie with his perfect pitch, and the two strike up a likable relationship that involves piano maintenance, carrying books, and a watch with a pearl strap. In a nice touch, the relationship gets serious fast, which makes sense because Niki is young, and this might be his first major relationship. In a neat scene, Niki sits next to Ruthie as she’s playing piano, and watches her as she plays. It sounds creepy, but the way Woodall plays it makes his lingering looks at her hair and face feel organic and charming. Since the relationship starts when Niki starts helping criminals steal expensive items, you know it’s going to go sideways, but the chemistry between Woodall and Liu prevents the proceedings from feeling too familiar as they find harmony in chaos. 

On a technical side, the movie is fantastic. Lowell A. Meyer’s (Knock at the Cabin, Thunder Road) cinematography is inspired, and his attention to detail (all the items in Harry’s truck) gives the film a lived-in feel. The sound design by the legendary Johnnie Burn is pitch-perfect, and if you get a chance, make sure to head to a theater with loud Dolby speakers. 

Final Thoughts – The ending is very silly, but the journey makes it worth a trip to the theaters.