“Tuner” (2025)
Leo Woodall gives a star-making turn as the lead of “Tuner.” But I worry no one will see it.
Much like my rant about romcoms with my review of “You, Me & Tuscany” last month, I do feel like smaller dramas such as “Tuner” are starting to disappear from cinemas as well. It is getting a very limited release on Friday after an even smaller release last Friday.
If you are a fan of these kinds of movies, please do go see them at your local theater during opening weekend if possible.
But back to “Tuner” and Leo Woodall. The film follows a pair of piano tuners, Niki (Woodall) and Harry (Dustin Hoffman).
When Harry falls ill, Niki takes over, but he still struggles to make ends meet for himself and his loved ones (including Harry) in a profession that is sadly dying.
When tuning a piano one night, he runs into a group of thieves. They make a lot of noise that make his hearing disability overwhelming. Instead of running away or calling the authorities, he agrees to help them crack the safe just to make the loud noises stop.
What starts as a one-time thing quickly turns into a lifestyle Niki has a hard time walking away from.
Woodall does an excellent job playing the range of emotions required as Niki, from lighter moments with his love interest to heartbreaking moments with Harry to tense moments with his new coworkers.
“Tuner” is a well-paced unique spin on the standard life of crime story that deserves a bit more attention as summer movie season starts with a bevy of blockbusters.