Sundance's "Tuner" is a Symphony For the Senses

[the following review is spoiler-free]

This week marked the start of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, aka the last year to be held in Park City, Utah. Like previous years, tens of thousands have flocked to the mountains to attend talks, see the sights, and most of all, get a glimpse of the newest innovations the film world has to offer. One of the first films to screen at Sundance this year is Daniel Roher's Tuner starring Leo Woodall, Dustin Hoffman, and Havana Rose Liu. Previously screening at TIFF, Telluride, Zurich, and BFI London, Tuner is one of the most immersive films I have ever seen, with a tight script, whip-smart dialogue, and of course, great music.

Tuner, affectionately described on Letterboxd as "Ocean's 11 for band geeks" tells the story of Niki (Woodall), a hearing-impaired man who learns that his sensitive ears that made him the ideal piano tuner also extends to cracking safes. This comes especially in handy when his ailing boss, Harry (Hoffman) begins dealing with crushing medical bills. Tuner has the perfect blend of comedy, suspense, and heartfelt moments.

I'll be honest, I did not expect much of Tuner, but this humble film completely won me over with its sheer charisma and technical prowess. After all, when a project is produced by iconic industry figures like Lila Yacoub, and JoAnne Sellar, what else is there to expect? Screenwriters, Daniel Roher and Robert Ramsey construct a tight script with virtually no fat to be trimmed. Every scene is expertly used to advance the story as well as character dynamics, with a sense of dread that grows with each cracked safe. The film is carried on the shoulders of lead, Leo Woodall who plays the stoic and closed-off Niki, a casting decision that Ramsey described to Cinemasters on the red carpet as "a dream come true," and an actor "completely in tune with our protagonist" (pun intended). Woodall has extraordinary on-screen chemistry with fellow players, Havana Rose Liu, Tovah Feldsuh, and the legendary Dustin Hoffman, who is an absolute laugh riot every time he's on screen.

One of Tuner's greatest strengths is its immersive use of sound that places the audience right into the shoes of its hearing-impaired protagonists. As a movie it reads as a love letter and testament to the power of recorded sound. Every time Niki's ears rang or pulsed, I couldn't help but grimace in pain with him. Overall, Daniel Roher does a fantastic job at making the audience empathize with his struggles. Special props are also owed to editor, Greg O'Bryant who was able to craft some truly masterful fast-paced montages, leaving me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole runtime in addition to the overstimulating moments.

To the surprise of no one, a film about a piano tuner just so happens to have some truly fantastic music. When asked about the unique challenges of scoring a film that centers around music, composer, Will Bates told Cinemasters that he wanted the score "to counterbalance the music performed on screen...in a way that's both influenced by it but also serving as a pivot away; a juxtaposition." Anyone who has ever worked in the sound department on a film and made to feel unimportant will feel completely vindicated by how crucial sound is to this project, both in terms of music and general audio.

Despite being unassuming, Tuner blew me away! Definitely keep an eye out once it arrives to US, Canadian, and UK theaters this May!