Lucky 13 Reviews
Tuner (2026) — Review
Directed by Daniel Roher
🎹 Sharp Direction and a Captivating Lead Performance by Leo Woodall Steady This Smart Crime Thriller 🎹
★★★★★
Lucky 13 Rating
Critical Stats
Release Date
May 22, 2026
Tomatometer
94%
Letterboxd
3.9 / 5
Running Time
112 mins
Official Synopsis
In Tuner, Academy Award-winning director Daniel Roher’s first narrative feature, Leo Woodall stars as a gifted young piano tuner whose heightened sense of hearing draws the attention of criminals, who see his talents as useful for opening safes as for tuning Steinways.
With his once-promising musical career over, he works across New York with his mentor Harry Horowitz (Academy Award-winner Dustin Hoffman), encountering a range of characters, including composition student Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), with whom he forges an unexpected connection. Niki’s safecracking work threatens his budding romance with Ruthie and pulls him into increasingly dangerous territory. Blending romance, drama, and the taut suspense of a heist thriller, TUNER also features performances from Tony Award-winner Tovah Feldshuh, Jean Reno, and Lior Raz.
Ensemble
Leo Woodall
Niki White
Dustin Hoffman
Harry Horowitz
Havana Rose Liu
Ruthie
Lior Raz
Uri
Architects
DirectorDaniel Roher
WritersDaniel Roher, Robert Ramsey
ProducersMichael Heimier, Teddy Schwarzman, JoAnne Sellar, Lila Yacoub
CinematographerLowell A. Meyer
ComposerWill Bates
Production DesignerPeter Cosco
Costume DesignerSarah Milman
Production Info
| Studio Production Companies | Black Bear Pictures, Elevation Pictures, |
| Theatrical Distributors | Elevation Pictures (Canada) / FilmNation Entertainment (International) |
| Estimated Production Budget | $15 - $20 Million |
| Filming Locations | Toronto and Southern Ontario, Canada |
Production Vault
| Motion Picture Rating | R (Language, crime elements, intense sequences) |
| Aspect Ratio | 2.39:1 (Anamorphic) |
| Production Status | Released (Theatrical / Festival Run 2026) |
| Key Locations | Metropolitan Safe Houses & Upper-Class Piano Parlors |
Behind The Lens Spotlight
Director Daniel Roher harnesses the deep narrative sincerity and fluid world-building style he mastered in his documentary work to spin an exceptional heist environment. Moving past surface-level genre tropes, Roher treats the tuner's mechanical world with pristine reverence. He utilizes heavy, macro practical cinematography and crisp foley styling to make sure this high-stakes thriller landscape leaves audiences completely wrapped inside the character's sensory fixation.
Director Daniel Roher harnesses the deep narrative sincerity and fluid world-building style he mastered in his documentary work to spin an exceptional heist environment. Moving past surface-level genre tropes, Roher treats the tuner's mechanical world with pristine reverence. He utilizes heavy, macro practical cinematography and crisp foley styling to make sure this high-stakes thriller landscape leaves audiences completely wrapped inside the character's sensory fixation.
Official Cinematic Trailer
Ray's Thoughts
It is a rare and thrilling cinematic treat to witness a narrative feature debut execute a high-wire genre balance with total structural authority. Director Daniel Roher achieves exactly that with Tuner, a film that manages to seamlessly occupy space across both the crime thriller and romance spectrums without ever losing its narrative footing. Where contemporary features often rely on superficial character setups and highly romanticized, consequence-free versions of the criminal underworld, Roher provides a breath of fresh air. He delivers a story deeply invested in realistic stakes, psychological consequences, and natural character progression.
In Tuner, crime is meticulously presented not as a series of stylized, glamorous high-wire acts, but as a sequence of small, incremental compromises. These slight ethical concessions subtly lead to dangerous moral crossings in the name of sincere, good intentions, which eventually spiral completely out of control into terrifying circumstances that no one could have anticipated. Simultaneously, the film balances a charming romance that charts a thoroughly believable arc, evolving naturally from initial friction into deep, moving affection. The script never forces its romantic beats; the central relationship progresses at a credible pace that leaves the audience actively rooting for the couple's survival amidst the mounting chaos.
At its core, Tuner functions beautifully as both a touching romance and an exceptional, slow-burn crime character study. The narrative follows the modest story of a gifted young piano tuner named Niki (played with an exceptional, anxious energy by Leo Woodall), whose once-promising career as a classical pianist was derailed by a severe case of hyperacusis. This condition leaves him with a profound sensitivity to sound, a malady that ironically makes him invaluable to his warm, charming mentor, Harry Horowitz (delightfully embodied by cinematic legend Dustin Hoffman). However, when Harry suffers a sudden medical emergency requiring a prolonged hospital stay, Niki's acute hearing draws the attention of dangerous criminal elements who realize his ears are perfectly calibrated for cracking high-end safes. Compounding his stress, Niki unexpectedly falls into a sweet, motivating relationship with a talented music student named Ruthie (played with marvelous determination by Havana Rose Liu). Unfortunately for Niki, his double life as a safecracker and a budding romantic partner inevitably overlaps, dragging him into an increasingly lethal web of subterranean syndicates.
Although we are only at the midpoint of the cinematic calendar year, Tuner stands tall as one of the definitive best films of the season. Director Daniel Roher confidently delivers an engaging, riveting story that starts as a quiet character drama before steadily mounting into a genuinely memorable thriller. What makes the film so exceptional is its remarkable ability to satisfy both genre demands simultaneously. If that structural mastery weren't enough, Roher caps the journey with a crowd-pleasing, clock-stopping finale that legitimately leaves you stunned. It is through this spectacular ending that the true thematic thesis of the film crystallizes: a story about the ultimate redemption of a tortured artist who, after stumbling blindly through a gauntlet of character-threatening events, is finally able to unlock his true potential, his calling, and his authentic self. Tuner is a masterclass in tension and heart, a brilliant confirmation that when a thriller prioritizes character over style, greatness is undeniable.
❦ Fun Facts & Cinematic Trivia
- From Documentaries to Drama: This taut thriller marks the narrative feature directorial debut of Daniel Roher, who previously took home an Academy Award for his sensational 2022 documentary Navalny.
- The Sound Design Focus: Because the safe-cracking revolves around absolute pitch and microscopic internal wheel mechanics, the sound design is mixed drastically high, intentionally forcing the audience to track every thrum, click, and acoustic shift.
- Rising Stardom: Lead actor Leo Woodall signed onto the thriller hot off his massive breakout leading performances in global television hits like The White Lotus and Netflix's One Day.
- The Master's Touch: To prepare for his performance as a veteran safecracker, screen icon Dustin Hoffman shadowed real-world locksmiths and security experts to master the tiny hand flourishes and sensory dial cues used in high-security lock picking.
The Final Verdict
★★★★★
Lucky 13 Rating
A masterclass in character-driven tension, Tuner stands tall as an absolute triumph. By trading stylized Hollywood gimmicks for a grounded, deeply human exploration of moral compromise, director Daniel Roher delivers a taut, slow-burn thriller that is as emotionally resonant as it is incredibly gripping. Backed by exceptional performances from Leo Woodall and Dustin Hoffman, its crowd pleasing final act cements it as an early contender for the best film of the year.
