Tuner (2026)

By: Mike Ward on Friday, May 29

R Running Time: 109 mins

SHOULD I SEE IT?

YES

  • Tuner is a movie you discover and then want to share with your friends. It’s that good.

  • Utilizes sound masterfully well, essentially creating a character in and of itself.

  • A terrific ensemble plays this pitch perfect, including a breakout performance for lead actor Leo Woodall and a terrific turn from Havana Rose Liu.

NO

  • Takes a narrative leap you have to go with, which could impede some viewers’ suspension of disbelief.

  • For all the cleverness and unique approach to storytelling we get for the first two-thirds of the film, the third act gets a little wobbly which might make it feel disjointed from what came before it.

  • Those sensitive to occasional loud noises should be warned that the film uses sound at times ti put into the headspace of the main character, who suffers from hyperacusis.


OUR REVIEW

Pardon my enthusiasm, but I feel like Tuner could become a critic’s favorite new movie. A clever, well-crafted, suspense/thriller that delivers tremendous sound design, likable characters, and just enough conflict and dramatic heft to keep you entertained, it blossoms before your eyes. Directed by Oscar-winning documentarian Daniel Roher (Navalny), making his fiction-feature debut, this can be a whole lot of fun - one of those movies you want to talk about and share with friends.

Discoveries like this are why we enjoy the movies, right? Small in scope, but feeling quite mighty, Tuner opens with a revitalized and spunky Dustin Hoffman, who plays Harry, an aged piano tuner, relying on his late friend’s son, Niki (Leo Woodall), to keep his business afloat. As Harry charms clients and Niki does most of the work, we come to learn that Niki suffers from hyperacusis and can no longer play the very pianos he tunes. 

His condition requires him to wear ear plugs or headphones most of the time because of incredible sensitivity to noise. When Harry loses the combination to a safe he needs access to, Niki realizes he has the ability to hear the tumblers fall into place within the lock. 

And that sets in motion a suspenseful storyline where Niki unwittingly plays into the criminality of a trio of thieves, led by Uri (Lior Raz). He helps them access a safe, and then accepts an offer to work with the team, making money to secretly support an ailing Harry and his wife Marla (Tovah Feldshuh) with medical bills, and begin a romance with Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), a skilled pianist.

Roher moves his film at a breezy pace, with an impressive ensemble to keep things engaging. I especially like how Niki and Ruthie develop their relationship, even with Ruthie having some hesitancy about getting close to him. Liu and Woodall almost feel choreographed in the way they play their scenes together and it allows the romance and inevitable conflicts that occur to feel authentic and believable.

With Tuner, sound is as much of a character as a human being is, and what makes this movie so interesting and fun is the way Roher and his sound design team use that tool to draw us in and out of Niki’s world. There’s an unpredictability to the way sound is utilized that keeps you a bit off-balance. Then, when you add in the film’s jazzy soundtrack with a precise, rhythmic pace from editor Greg O’Bryant, this whole experience becomes a treat for the senses. 

Some may roll their eyes at Niki’s willingness to align with a team of thieves. I get that. But Tuner pushes through much of that, as Roher has a knack for ratcheting up tensions when you least expect it and creating a central uneasiness in the screenplay he co-wrote with Robert Ramsey. 

We root for Niki because he’s a sympathetic character making a rash of bad decisions with good intentions. His clumsiness is part of his appeal and Woodall shines in a breakout performance, as does Liu, who feels poised for a significant breakout of her own. 

I hope you find this movie, or that this movie finds you. A true delight, I cannot wait to see it again. Though it gets a little cute and predictable as it tries to resolve its main conflict, overall Tuner works exceptionally well. There’s moments of humor, intensity, and even some romantic comedy underpinnings and stands as one of the year’s best films.

CAST & CREW

Starring: Leo Woodall, Havana Rose Liu, Dustin Hoffman, Lior Raz, Tovah Feldshuh, Jean Reno, Nissan Sakira, Gil Cohen

Director: Daniel Roher
Written by: Daniel Roher, Robert Ramsey
Release Date: May 22, 2026
Black Bear Pictures