Tuner turns piano tuning into a surprisingly stylish crime thriller, which is already more than most of us achieved with music lessons. Leo Woodall plays a young man whose extraordinary hearing is both his greatest gift and the thing that drags him into serious trouble.
Film details
- Title: Tuner
- Premiere date in the Netherlands: 28 May 2026
- Director: Daniel Roher
- Runtime: 108 minutes
- Genre: Drama, crime, music
- Country: United States
- Language: English
- Subtitles: Dutch
- Age rating: 12+
- Cast: Leo Woodall, Dustin Hoffman, Havana Rose Liu, Jean Reno, Lior Raz and Tovah Feldshuh
- Where to watch in Rotterdam: KINO, Cinerama, LantarenVenster
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What’s the vibe?
Niki is a gifted young musician whose hearing disorder has ended his dream of a classical music career. Ordinary New York noise is unbearable, so he moves through the city with ear protection and a permanently stressed nervous system. Relatable, honestly, if you have ever stood next to someone eating crisps on public transport.
He now works as a piano tuner with Harry, his older mentor and father figure, played by Dustin Hoffman. Through Harry, Niki finds a quieter role in the world of music. Then criminals discover that his exceptional hearing can do more than tune pianos. It can also help crack safes.
Daniel Roher, the Oscar-winning director of Navalny, makes his narrative feature debut with a film that mixes a light romantic thread, a crime plot and a sharp sonic concept. It is a heist film with a very specific skill set, built around sound, sensitivity and the awkward problem of having one hidden talent too many.
Trailer
Check out the trailer below.
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Why you might like it
- Eyes: New York interiors, late-night crime energy and a clean indie thriller look built around pianos, locks and expensive rooms.
- Heart: The bond between Niki and Harry gives the film warmth, while Niki’s connection with Ruthie adds a softer romantic pull.
- Mind: The film plays with the idea that a gift can also be a burden, especially when other people start seeing it as something they can use.
Critical reception
Tuner has been received very positively by critics so far. Rotten Tomatoes currently lists the film at 95% on the Tomatometer from 92 reviews, with a 92% audience score from more than 100 ratings. Its critics’ consensus praises Leo Woodall as a compelling star presence and highlights the film’s smart humour and vivid character work.
Metacritic lists Tuner with a Metascore of 72, placing it in the generally favourable range. That fits the wider reaction: critics seem to enjoy the premise, the performances and the sound-driven suspense, even when some mention that the crime plot follows familiar beats.
The Guardian gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, calling Woodall and Hoffman a pleasure to watch and describing the film as a relaxed crime thriller with romantic and comedic touches. The San Francisco Chronicle also praised Woodall’s performance and the way the film makes piano tuning feel unusually thrilling.
The film had a strong festival run, with Dutch listings noting its world premiere at the Toronto film festival. FilmTotaal also mentions screenings at Telluride, Toronto, London and Sundance before its Dutch cinema release.
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Scene to watch for
Watch the moment Niki realises his hearing can be used to open a safe. It is the kind of scene that makes a tiny sound feel huge, and it tells you exactly why this film needs a cinema sound system. Suddenly, silence has a job.
Recommended pairing
Go for a pre-film coffee or a quiet drink somewhere calm. Tuner is built around sound, so arriving already overstimulated feels a little too method.
Afterwards, keep the music theme going with a walk through the city centre and something low-key to eat. Nothing too loud, nothing too chaotic, unless you enjoy leaving a film about sound sensitivity and immediately testing your own nervous system. Bold choice, darling.
Need-to-knows
Tuner is Daniel Roher’s first fiction feature after his documentary work, including Navalny. The film is written by Roher and Robert Ramsey, and the sound design is a major part of its appeal.
The Dutch listings classify the film as suitable from 12 years old, with Kijkwijzer warnings for violence, coarse language, drugs and alcohol misuse. So yes, it may look charming, but it is still a crime thriller with teeth.
