Few crime dramas can be found with as much rhythm and style as “Tuner.” It would be difficult to find an apt comparison for what this film offers, but it feels like a unique amalgamation of “The Sound of Metal,” Baby Driver, and “Whiplash.” The film follows a piano tuner with a condition that makes him extremely sensitive to sound. He discovers this gives him a knack for safe-cracking. Circumstances force him to join a criminal underworld that pays well, but he quickly finds himself being exploited for his talents. The film’s constant jazzy rhythm gives it a sense of unpredictability. Featuring a cast and crew of many up-and-comers, “Tuner” shows an impressive grasp of exciting pacing, stylistic tone, and well-written characters.
“Tuner” opens with the typical workday of uncle-nephew duo Niki (Leo Woodall) and Harry (Dustin Hoffman) as they tune pianos and banter. Harry is a tenured jazz musician that serves more as a mentor to Niki than as a helpful piano tuner, since he needs hearing aids to hear. Niki on the other hand suffers from hyperacusis, a rare and debilitating condition that makes him extremely sensitive to sound. It requires Niki to wear earplugs and noise-cancelling headphones just to get through the day. Harry reminisces that Niki could have been a piano virtuoso, but the condition forced him to abandon his greatest talent due to the pain it causes him to play.
‘Tuner’s’ Performances Stand Tall
While tuning pianos by himself, Niki meets Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu). The two have a rocky start, as Ruthie is annoyed by the interruption his tuning causes during her piano practice at the music conservatory, but Niki is clearly interested in her. However, everything changes for Niki when Harry has a stroke and is hospitalized. Out of love for how much his mentor has sacrificed for him, Niki commits himself to helping with Harry’s medical bills. As he struggles to put a dent into the debt by tuning pianos, one night when he’s working, he hears a commotion and finds people breaking into his client’s safe. With Niki’s sensitive hearing, he had been able to crack a safe before to get Harry’s hearing aids for him. He offers to help these strangers crack the safe and they pay him far more than he would make tuning pianos. With the pressure of helping Harry and uncertainty about his future, Niki decides to team up with these criminals to crack more safes.
The performances and writing in “Tuner” stand high among its laudable traits. Leo Woodall and Havana Rose Liu’s on-screen chemistry makes the romance feel real and makes the stakes feel personal. Additionally, the writing of Niki and Ruthie pairs well with the tender and reserved performances for both. They’re immediately standoffish towards each other in a guarded way that matches their personalities. The visible changes in the characters as they soften toward each other give the romance realism. Dustin Hoffman’s performance is also charming, as his banter with Niki makes him an endearingly warm uncle-mentor. Along with the great writing for the gentle and quiet protagonists, the criminals are a perfect counterpart. While Niki is more reserved, the criminals are loud, predatory, and manipulative.
Jazzy, Stylistic Filmmaking Complements It
The stylistic choices involved in the sound design and the editing give the film a sense of jazzy style and rhythmic momentum as the plot progresses. The film opens with a Herbie Hancock song, immediately wearing its influences on its sleeve as the sequences cut with the breaks in the rhythm. The piano performances instill awe, showing staggering command at the instrument. The capricious sound design lends itself to the unpredictability of the plot, as the viewer is always uncertain what is in store for Niki next. Along with the music, the sound design from Niki’s perspective helps immerse the viewer in his experience. It makes the torment of Niki’s condition feel inescapable. Additionally, the hearing sensitivity is written well in that it never feels contrived or convenient for the plot. It is never an unrealistic superpower; it is debilitating and shapes Niki’s character.
“Tuner” showcases competence in many aspects of filmmaking. The only thing preventing the film from achieving excellence is its tendency to try to do too much. Sometimes it wants to be a crime-drama-romance with musical themes, comedic moments, and a virtuoso showcase all at once. It does all of these elements well, but it feels like there is a lack of confidence from the filmmakers that a focused scope done well is sufficient. Both the director and many actors in the film are very new in their film careers and this movie certainly instills a new interest for the potential of everyone involved. Most importantly, it is a really fun watch. It approaches “Whiplash” levels of a satisfying musical conclusion and is an engagingly groovy movie.
*”Tuner” is out now in theaters.
