Leo Woodall and Dustin Hoffman Shine in a Moving Drama About Loss, Purpose, and Reinvention
Imagine you have been working most of your life towards one goal, and then it is all taken away from you in the blink of an eye. What would you do if you suddenly had to change gears, unsure of what else to do or who you even are anymore? Would you be able to pivot easily, or would it turn your world completely upside down? What if it was caused by an obscure allergy called hyperacusis, and there was nothing you could do to correct it? For Niki White (Leo Woodall; The White Lotus), that is exactly what happened to him when the piano virtuoso suddenly became allergic to sounds and found himself as a piano tuner with little career prospects in the new film, Tuner.
Harry Horowitz (Dustin Hoffman; Rain Man) has owned a piano tuning company for over five decades, and he employs Niki, whom Harry has known since Niki was a little boy. Niki was a prodigy of sorts until he was diagnosed with hyperacusis, which ended his musical career. He now tunes pianos for a living while Harry pretty much tags along. However, when Harry suffers a heart attack, Niki discovers that Harry and his wife Marla (Tovah Feldshuh; Lady in the Water) have no health insurance and already owe the hospital over thirty thousand dollars. Niki decides to use his special hearing (dis) ability to do whatever is necessary to help Harry and Marla, no matter what.
The cast brings this exceptional script to life. Woodall is a terrific, young talent who learned to play piano like a virtuoso for this role. His performance was so impressive that I thought he was a true piano player for years. Hoffman is ideal as the old, Mench Harry. He has the demeanor and acting chops to take on almost any role, and he does so here beautifully. Feldshuh is also well cast along with Niki's love interest, Ruthie, played by Havana Rose Liu (Lurker).
Co-writer and director Daniel Roher (Blink) has a smart script on his hands, and he generally knows what to do with it. He brings interesting angles to the film, especially when Niki is deeply concentrating on cracking safes. However, the pacing is hit or miss, with some scenes feeling as though they should be longer while others drag on unnecessarily. The first act could have been a little shorter, while the third act went by in a flash, but really needed a little more time to breathe, and the film ends abruptly on a less than satisfying note (pun intended).
Interestingly, Roher is known for his documentary work, including 2024's Blink, which tells the story of the Pelletier family who decide to go on a worldwide journey before three of the four children lose their eyesight due to Retinitis Pigmentosa. Since he dealt with documenting incurable and rare diseases before, one has to wonder why he chose to co-write and direct a drama rather than another documentary, and even though the story is fiction, there are moments that Roher highlights, educating the audience about the disease Niki suffers from.
Tuner is the type of film that I like to call a "thinker" because one should really let the story "marinate" in their mind long after the credits roll. It is the type of movie that stays with you for days after you see it, and one that would show different things if you watched it more than once. The subplot between Niki and Ruthie is a good old-fashioned love story, making the audience want to root for them against all odds, but the overall theme is about an extraordinary young man afflicted with a disease beyond his control and how he navigates through life with Harry and Marla's help.
Grade: A-
