TIFF 2025 Review: Tuner – “an intriguing premise”

In an effort to pay off the debts of his mentor and employer, a piano tuner utilizes his unique hearing talents to crack open safes.

The dialogue is never-ending from aging piano tuner Harry Horowitz, who continually forgets to wear his hearing aids and relies on his assistant Niki White, a former musical protégé derailed by an auditory condition that makes him acutely sensitive to sounds.  When Horowitz is hospitalized and the bills continue to grow, White takes it upon himself to financially aid him by embarking on a criminal enterprise that escalates into dangerous territory.

Some things are telegraphed early on, like the prickly relationship that White has with a budding composer that becomes a love affair and giving a stolen watch as a gift that causes everything to unravel.  These foreground conclusions do not derail the intriguing premise where a special talent is accidentally discovered when Horowitz locks his hearing aids in his safe and forgets the combination, causing White to attempt to figure it out.  Fun is had with the quick cuts that illustrate inner mechanics as various attempts are made to unravel the combinations, and sound design is literally instrumental in driving the story forward, as well as illustrating the mental state of White.

Nearly overshadowing the performance of Dustin Hoffman is his lookalike bobblehead situated on van’s dashboard, which adds levity to the proceedings but also makes sure that his presence is felt even when he is not on screen. The chemistry between Hoffman and Leo Woodall is endearing as they genuinely care for each other.  There is no fear in delving into dark territory, which feels authentic and heightens the stakes, as criminals do not believe in leaving each other alone.  The final scene and last line are clever and result in a satisfying conclusion, which is an accomplishment in its own right.

The 50th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 4-14, 2025, and for more information visit tiff.net.    

Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada; he can be found at LinkedIn.