Overview
- Tuner, director Daniel Roher’s first narrative feature, moves from the festival circuit into a wider U.S. release on Friday after early buzz from Telluride and Toronto.
- The story follows Niki, a New York piano tuner with hyperacusis whose acute hearing lets him crack safes, and Leo Woodall’s quiet, focused performance is widely singled out as the film’s anchor.
- Reviewers praise the film’s sound design for putting the audience inside Niki’s sensory world by foregrounding small noises, musical tones and the clicks of safes to build tension.
- Critics are mostly positive but point to clear weaknesses, including a third act many find uneven, repetitive heist beats and a cameo by Jean Reno that some call ill-fitting; one outlet also raised concerns about the film’s portrayal of neurodivergence.
- Roher’s Oscar-winning documentary background and months of actor preparation give the film a crafted feel, and its mix of romance, noir and heist elements could raise Woodall’s profile and shape how smaller thrillers are marketed this season.