Last night at SIFF Cinema Uptown I watched Tuner, and it completely surprised me. What starts as a story about a gifted piano tuner quickly transforms into one of the most original crime thrillers I’ve seen in a while. Niki’s extraordinary hearing, the very thing that ended his career as a concert pianist, becomes the skill that draws him into a dangerous world of safecracking and organized crime. It’s such a clever premise, and the film makes the most of it.
The sound design is incredible. Every click of a lock, every note from a piano, every background noise feels amplified, putting you inside Niki’s world. It isn’t just a technical achievement, it’s essential to the storytelling. You experience his gift and his burden at the same time. Leo Woodall gives a fantastic performance, balancing vulnerability with quiet confidence, while Dustin Hoffman brings warmth and humor as Harry, the veteran piano tuner who becomes both mentor and father figure. The chemistry between them gives the film its emotional heart, even as the stakes continue to rise.
I also loved how the film never forgets it’s about people, not just crime. Beneath the suspense is a story about identity, purpose, and finding a new path after losing the life you thought you were meant to have. Watching it at SIFF made the experience even better. The audience was completely locked in, reacting to every twist while appreciating the incredible use of sound. Smart, stylish, and genuinely entertaining. Definitely one of my favorite thrillers of the year.
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