(Check out Chris Reed’s Tuner movie review, it’s in theaters now. Seen it? Join the conversation with HtN on our Letterboxd Page.)
In his first narrative feature, Tuner, Oscar-winning documentarian Daniel Roher (Navalny) proves that he is just as capable of telling a fictional story as he is one ripped from the latest headlines. With impressive visual flair, he introduces unique characters into a familiar genre (the crime drama) and emerges with a thoroughly engaging movie. If there are dramatic hiccups along the way (and there are a few), they do not keep us from having a grand old time.
Leo Woodall (Nuremberg) stars as Niki, a young piano tuner with hyperacusis, a hearing condition where ordinary sounds that most of us take for granted in our day-to-day lives are magnified to the point of near-unbearability. He wears special in-ear headphones to protect himself, and an additional set of over-the-ear gear when things get really rough. Fortunately, in his profession what would be a disability is an advantage, which, coupled with perfect pitch, make him very good at his job.
Niki is an apprentice to the aging Harry Horowitz (Dustin Hoffman), who still enjoys the work but is definitely slowing down. Not so much that he can’t try and get some kind of flirtation started between his employee (whom he treats like a son) and an advanced composition student, Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu, Bottoms). After Niki tunes the instruments at her institution, the two begin a slow-burn of a friendship that eventually blossom into something more.
This is not, however, a sweet tale of a shy person learning to overcome the obstacle of his personality in order to find happiness. At least it’s not only that. For one night, tuning yet another piano in another fancy mansion where the owners could care less about music, Niki finds himself distracted by some loud noises from the floor above. Wandering upstairs to investigate, he finds a team of three men, all from the same security firm, breaking into a safe. They claim it’s all part of the service they offer their clients. Niki just wants them to be quiet.
What they don’t know is that recently, Niki looked up how to open a combination safe after Harry forgot the new number he had set. And with his extra-sensitive hearing, Niki figured things out pretty quickly. So when Uri (Lior Raz, Soda), the leader of the thieves, tells Niki that they’ll stop making noise once they finish what they’re doing, it’s a natural segue (of a sort) for Niki to lend a hand (an ear, really). What starts out as an accidental assist on a robbery soon becomes a regular gig, especially once Harry has a heart attack and racks up expensive bills.
Roher and his co-screenwriter Robert Ramsey prove quite adept at navigating what could be a tricky mix of genres. Some moments are extremely funny, others tense, and others beautifully romantic, the whole tied together through Roher’s love of quick cuts and evocative montages. There are sequences that strain credulity, however, especially in the arena of Niki’s behavior. One choice in particular—the gift of a ring of dubious provenance—feels extremely contrived, like something shoehorned into the story in order to force certain script consequences, rather than emerging organically from character. These occasional flaws notwithstanding, the rest is pretty much pure fun.
And poignant. The more we learn about Niki’s backstory, the more we care for him, no matter his poor decisions. Woodall delivers a powerful performance, too, ably assisted by the rest of the ensemble. It may not be without its false notes, but Tuner otherwise plays a moving, entertaining melody.
– Christopher Llewellyn Reed (@ChrisReedFilm)
