[Rating: Rock Fist Way Up]
I feel that as I get older, the world around me gets louder and louder. Maybe this is because I work in a semi-loud environment where I like to leave everyday with contemplation to myself. Or maybe it’s from when I used to blare music on long walks with my dog. Either way, things are loud. Noise level pairs well with director Daniel Roher’s first narrative feature, Tuner, a subtle movie with lots of noise to be heard.
Niki White (Leo Woodall), is an apprentice in New York City to piano tuner Harry Horowitz (Dustin Hoffman). Niki suffers from hyperacusis, where sounds all around him have an increased sensitivity. Imagine living in New York City and having to wear ear protection from the multitude of sounds around you. Niki soon discovers through Harry’s blunders, he can successfully open safes by listening to the sounds of locks. Soon, Niki meets and begins a mutual attraction to piano students Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), who falls for Niki and his passion for tuning piano and his talent to have perfect pitch as he tunes. Soon however, Niki is faced with taking over Harry’s business when Harry suffers a heart attack, leaving Niki to work alone.
On one assignment, Niki is distracted by the noises he hears in an upstairs room, only to discover that Uri (Lior Raz) and his gang of criminals are trying to break into a safe. In order for them to give him the quiet he needs to tune a piano, Niki cracks open their safe to leave him be. Uri sees that Niki has much more talent than just tuning pianos, and soon hires him to open other safes around the city. Uri and his gang work as security installers by day, and criminals at night, making sure they know their clients will never suspect it was the security guys plus a piano tuner who stole their goods! Things however don’t go well with Niki when one job goes terribly wrong, and soon his relationship with Ruthie turns sour as he doesn’t show up when she needs him the most.
I absolutely loved Tuner. I loved not knowing what this film was going to be about and it felt so much like La La Land with how much passion Niki has for music and Sound of Metal with Niki’s hearing condition that keeps him from living up to his potential. The sound of this film already is some of my favorite of the year, getting into the pain Niki faces in a world that is almost impossible for him to live in. Plus, Woodall gives one of the most committed performances in recent memory, going from the timid piano tuner to somebody who has to question his own actions. Tuner might be one of the most surprising films I have seen this year.
Christian Ramos is a classic film fan, having had the dream to host Turner Classic Movies for years now. He also has a large amount of Oscar trivia in his head, remembers dressing as Groucho Marx one Halloween, and cherishes the moment Julianne Moore liked his tweet.
You must log in to post a comment.