TUNER - Review | TIFF 2025

Daniel Roher's latest film is a slick and impressive jump from documentary to narrative filmmaking from the director that's best described as Baby Driver (2017) for safe-cracking. Containing a playful but rhythmic style that maintains a fast-pace throughout along with its incredibly immersive sound work and precise cutting of actions to the beat of its music. Aspects that show the extra effort that went into perfecting them while serving a purpose of immersing viewers to the gifted hearing abilities of Leo Woodall's character while the film uncovers his insecurities and trauma as it progresses. Even with its concept feeling needlessly stretched out when getting closer to the end, seeing the journey and repercussions of a piano tuner leveraging his skills for higher rewards in crime, presented in this style, made for a consistently entertaining comedic thriller. Also despite minimal screen time from Dustin Hoffman, he and the rest of the fun ensemble make an impression along with playing off well to Leo Woodall in one of his more nuanced performances.

Still Courtesy – Black Bear Pictures

Henry (portrayed by Dustin Hoffman) and his protégé Niki (portayed by Leo Woodall) run a piano tuning business in New York together as they try to make ends meet. With higher bills starting to come their way along with Niki stumbling upon a group of Israeli crooks failing to open a safe in his client's house, he gets the job done after teaching himself to use his precise hearing abilities to crack safes. Impressed by his skills and Niki being desperate for more money, Uri (portrayed by Lior Raz), leader of the Israeli crooks, opens the doors to Niki's side life of crime as they work together to pull-off larger jobs until things get out of control.

After his great run of making documentaries of different styles and subjects, including his Oscar win for Navalny (2021) for Best Documentary Feature in 2022. Daniel Roher presents his first narrative feature film that luckily, announces him as a director who clearly understands how to translate technical precision into storytelling momentum. Rather than easing into fiction, Roher dives headfirst, delivering a film that feels meticulously engineered yet effortlessly playful. The result is a sleek comedic thriller that recalls the rhythmic bravado of Baby Driver (2017), only here the adrenaline is driven less by speed and more by sound, timing, and heightened perception.

What immediately distinguishes Tuner (2026) is its formal control. Roher leans heavily into a propulsive audiovisual language, using sharp editing and intricately designed soundscapes to keep the film in constant motion. Actions are cut precisely to the beat of the music, and everyday noises are elevated into narrative drivers, creating an immersive experience that pulls the audience directly into the protagonist’s sensory world. This rhythmic approach never feels ornamental; it functions as the backbone of the film, reinforcing both its tone and its point of view.

That perspective is anchored by Leo Woodall, who delivers a layered performance as a gifted piano tuner whose extraordinary hearing becomes both his greatest asset and his most isolating burden. As the story unfolds, Roher smartly uses sound design to externalize the character’s inner life, gradually revealing his insecurities and unresolved trauma beneath the film’s polished surface. Woodall navigates these shifts with restraint, allowing subtle emotional beats to emerge amid the film’s technical flash, making this one of his more nuanced and compelling turns to date.

While Tuner (2026) occasionally strains its premise as it approaches the finish line, stretching its central concept slightly beyond necessity, the journey remains consistently engaging. Watching a seemingly unassuming craftsman exploit his specialized skills for increasingly risky criminal rewards proves entertaining precisely because of how committed the film is to its style. The tension, humor, and spectacle are all filtered through Roher’s carefully calibrated direction, keeping the narrative lively even when it threatens to overextend.

Supporting this momentum is a lively ensemble cast that leaves a strong impression despite limited screen time. Dustin Hoffman’s brief appearance is emblematic of this, adding texture and personality without overshadowing the lead. Together, the cast plays off Woodall effectively, reinforcing the film’s balance between character-driven drama and slick genre thrills. In the end, Tuner stands as an assured and entertaining debut in narrative filmmaking for Roher, one that showcases both technical ambition and a clear understanding of how form can deepen character and theme.

Verdict

8/10