Sometimes, all you need to make great music is to listen to what’s right in front of you.
Directed (and co-written) by Daniel Roher, Tuner tells the story of Niki (Leo Woodall), a young piano tuner who’s perfect hearing makes him gifted at his craft. Teaming with his mentor Harry Horowitz (Dustin Hoffman), Niki works across New York , serving the uber-rich by tuning pianos that they likely never play. However, Niki’s skills draw the attention of local criminals who recognize that his heightened hearing makes him useful for unlocking safes. As Niki begins a side hustle as a low-end safecracker, he finds that his new hobby threatens his personal life, including his new relationship with Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), an exceptional pianist who has dreams of becoming a star.
In a lot of ways, it’s surprising that the film was developed by Roher. As the filmmaker behind wonderful documentaries as Navalny and The AI Doc (Or how I Became an Apocaloptimist), Roher has never stepped into the arena of onscreen fiction before.
But wow. What a debut.
For his first narrative feature, Tuner takes the heist genre and upends it with furious charm and energy. With an emphasis on the characters and their emotional arc, Roher’s film feels almost unique to the genre. We may enjoy the thrill and skill of the heists themselves but, when Roher wants to get dark and gritty, he’s also not afraid to do so.
In this way, Tuner feels more like a character drama than the sleekness of Ocean’s Eleven or The Italian Job. Niki’s journey into the dark side feels more like a deliberate stumble in character rather than any particular designs for revenge or to take ‘what he deserves’. Ruthie’s passion for music drives her but, at the same time, there is more to her life than success. Even the criminals that Niki falls in with aren’t entirely evil, even if they are corrupt. In essence, these feel like real people trapped within unreal circumstances.
And, of course, credit must be given to some absolutely delightful performances from its leads. Though given limited screentime, Hoffman absolutely lights up the screen with an energy that we haven’t seen from him in years. Meanwhile, as Ruthie, Liu brings a confidence to her character that makes her both empathetic and endearing.
But, truthfully, it’s Woodall who really soars. As Niki, Woodall is loveable but also quietly ferocious. Despite his compassionate soul, he buries his warm heart under a carefully-guarded exterior designed to keep people away. In some moments, he’s sweet and sincere. In others, there’s rage buried behind his eyes, revealing his deeply-seeded disappointment with life.
And Niki’s dissatisfaction with the way things are also becomes the emotional core of the story. After all, without giving any spoilers, his step into life’s shadows is marred by his own feelings that the world has taken too much from him. It’s not that he seeks vengeance. It’s more that he seems to feel like his shot at greatness has been wasted.
And, if you’ve lost everything, it’s hard to care for anything.
Even so, we never view Niki as a villain. Yes, he’s embarked on a life of crime. But he still feels redeemable. He’s lost his way but he’s not fully gone. And, most importantly, we want him to find his way again.
In the end, you can’t help falling in love with Tuner. With a simple premise, Roher draws the viewer in with compelling characters that can both sparkle with joy or seethe with rage when needed. (It also goes without saying that the soundtrack is utterly spectacular.) And when all these elements are placed together, Tuner ensures to play all the right notes.
Tuner is available in theatres on Friday, May 29th, 2026.
