Tuner – Film Review
by B. Merriman

Written and Directed by Daniel Roher
Co-written by Robert Ramsey
Starring: Leo Woodall, Dustin Hoffman, Havana Rose Liu, Tovah Feldshuh, Lior Raz, Gil Cohen and Nissan Sakira

Duration 109 minutes

It has often been said that there are a finite number of stories in the world, and we just keep finding different ways to tell them. Choosing a piano tuner as the central character in a thriller-type plot may well qualify as a different way of dealing with crime, innocence, a love story, terror and greed.  Firstly, the cast is impressive, giving a sense that the production team is keen to make this well-written story by Ramsey and Roher, plausible.

It is a real draw to see 88-year-old Dustin Hoffman playing his age, as a spirited piano tuner in poor health, enjoying a rather reckless final chapter. He is in his element and continues to visually enrich even the most simple of scenarios, ably assisted by his wife, Tovah Feldshuh as Maria, which is reminiscent of Anne Bancroft, who was also a master of the Jewish New York Mother character.

Leo Woodall’s career continues its upward trajectory, from the eye candy in the last Bridget Jones movie, to convincing as Niki White, the young American piano tuner, with an over-sensitive aural condition (hyperacusis) that put an end to his own potential career as a concert pianist. This rare condition, coupled with a perfect pitch, unwittingly upskills him to accidentally enter a world necessitated by the strain of the family bond that has been nurtured by Henry and Maria. It’s an endearing subplot of love, loyalty and mentorship.

Niki is a loner, limited by his aural condition, where loud noises cause great distress. On a tuning job, he unsurprisingly bumps into a talented young pianist, Ruthie, a focused Havana Rose Liu. She is on the cusp of being mentored by a Maestro, and falling in love may endanger her academic determination to succeed. But, after all, it is Leo Woodall who crosses her path, and this unlikely class pairing seems to work, especially with the shared interest in and the quest for perfection in quality music composition.

All is innocent and going well when Niki finds his abilities put to use by a foreign criminal gang, ruthlessly led by Uri, a menacing Lior Raz. Though the intimidation is seriously threatening, there is an almost comic underscore led nicely by Nissan Sakira’s lackadaisical Benny.

Niki gets sucked into his side job as Henry’s medical bills mount. He becomes indispensable to the gang and, once he gives in to temptation, it has the potential to impact the very lives he values. In many ways, Niki is an innocent abroad, with an accidental skill for safe cracking that soon becomes the bedrock of the crime gang’s success. ‘While he is cracking the safe, he’s in charge,’  snaps Uri.

The clash of the criminal and drug-fuelled underworld with the quietened man whose self and talent are still embedded in the piano is bound to yield serious consequences. Tuner is an unexpected twist on this struggle of good guys being exploited by bad guys, but it is innovative, engaging, entertaining and emotional. It is well directed by Roher, with one very blunt edit near the end that disrupts the flow of the movie. There also seems to be repeated usage of location, especially with many of the piano homes looking similar. The lush piano underscore is an added bonus in the soundtrack.

You might believe that the sedate surroundings of piano tuning would have little to keep you gripped for over 100 minutes. That’s the surprise appeal of this thriller treatment of a quaint occupation and the many underworlds that make up the never-ending pulse of a driven New York City. A great cast adds to the scripted treat, and if you are curious to venture into this unlikely world, you will be well satisfied.