Tuner Review: An Amusing, Conveniently Crafted Heist

      Oscar-winning director Daniel Roher mentions that he lost his artistic inspiration following Navalny's success. It's not surprising to reach the pinnacle of one's career and ponder what to pursue next. This moment led him to encounter Peter White, a piano tuner based in Los Angeles, who helped reignite his creativity. One might expect this to evolve into a documentary about White, his craft, or the piano itself, but it actually resulted in Roher's debut fiction film.

      Since 2022, Roher has released two additional documentaries, indicating that his creative energy is once more in full swing. Was Tuner instrumental in this revival? It certainly seems that way. Roher emphasizes how personal this film is, which is palpable in its portrayal of a main character, an artist whose capacity to create art vanishes. Niki White (played by Leo Woodall) seems to have accepted his fate, yet the art may not have abandoned him just yet.

      Co-writing alongside Robert Ramsey, Roher introduces us to this former child prodigy turned piano tuner through the perspective of his most devoted fan and mentor, Harry Horowitz (Dustin Hoffman). We don’t get a clear picture of their connection beyond the mention of Niki's deceased father and his undeniable talent, and Harry’s talk of dementia raises questions about the truth of his statements. Was Niki really that talented? Does Harry truly know Herbie Hancock?

      The film effectively explores this dynamic; the idea that Harry might exaggerate tales about those he cherishes is charming and perhaps even more captivating than uncovering the truth. None of this matters to the affluent clients who own the unused grand pianos they tune each day. Many of these customers even feel entitled to request repairs on their toilets.

      The essence of reality unfolds in fragments as we delve deeper into their lives to experience it firsthand. This is partly due to Harry’s illness and Niki’s need to sustain the business for both himself and his friend once Harry's wife (Tovah Feldshuh’s Marla) uncovers his mounting medical debts and obstinacy. The apprentice is compelled to operate independently, meet new individuals, and inadvertently slip into a life of crime that is not as “victimless” as he imagines.

      Peter White undoubtedly shapes the artistic nature of the piano tuner’s often unappreciated work. Roher’s own identity struggles and quest for inspiration influence Niki’s internal conflict in finding his place in a world that has taken what he believed was rightfully his. The heist element, emerging from a chance encounter with Uri (Lior Raz), injects dramatic flair to heighten the stakes and enjoyment. Despite occasional misalignment between intent and execution, it remains an entertaining journey.

      Niki can no longer play the piano due to hyperacusis, a condition that causes him severe pain from ordinary sounds. Instead of hearing aids (which Harry often forgets to use), Niki opts for plugs that mute his hearing and uses headphones to block out noise that others find manageable. However, he discovers that his heightened sensitivity to sound offers one particular advantage: safe-cracking.

      Desperate for money to assist Harry, Niki teams up with Uri, who is eager to access the safes he installs in the homes of wealthy clients. Uri knows that homeowners often possess too many valuables to notice when something goes missing, and Niki can hear and “feel” the mechanism of a combination lock, enabling him to obtain those items. He suddenly feels valuable again. The "curse" that took away his dream now serves as a means to help others achieve theirs.

      This introduces the real character drama: neither Marla nor Niki’s new girlfriend (Havana Rose Liu's Ruthie, a composition student focused on the piano) would approve of his methods. Marla wants Niki to find fulfillment in the tuning business her husband introduced him to, while Ruthie hopes he reintegrates himself into the music world through her ambitions. He strives to be significant but yearns for a sense of worth.

      Numerous questions arise. What is the relationship between value and self-worth? At what point does a disregard for the consequences of one’s actions create problems for loved ones? Niki isn’t building anything for himself with these side activities; he is merely edging closer to a potentially disastrous situation. In contrast, he is constructing something meaningful with Harry and is attempting to build with Ruthie—if only he could free himself from his own thoughts.

      So anticipate the inevitable fallout as Uri's jobs become morally ambiguous. Expect tension to surface between him and Ruthie as their stress levels collide, igniting his barely concealed anger. And expect the resolution of whether all this frustration stems from being told he was special or actually knowing he was—not that either perspective is inherently better when both rely on his talent rather than his human value.

      The script's structure may conveniently illustrate connections among Niki's professional, personal, and secret lives to force him into a corner and confront