Oscar Winner's New Thriller Blends Music and Crime in a Way No One Saw Coming
We are quite literally witnessing a new golden age of unforgettable music movie moments. From John Carney's Power Ballad and Ryan Coogler's Sinners to David Lowery's Mother Mary and even Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters, the screen is alive with the sound of music.
The latest melody-focused film that will no doubt be music to your ears is Tuner, a neo-noir crime thriller about a former piano prodigy who uses his hypersensitive hearing to crack safes and score massive paydays.
Filled with top-notch talent, the film was co-written and directed by Oscar-winning helmer Daniel Roher, who won the 2023 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for Navalny. In front of the camera, there is two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman and rising star Leo Woodall, with Havana Rose Liu and Tovah Feldshuh rounding out the cast.
Woodall stars as Niki White, a soft-spoken piano tuner who sports earplugs and headphones because of an auditory medical condition called hyperacusis - sound sensitivity Niki boils down to being "allergic to loud noises." Once he learns his heightened sensitivities allow him to hear when a safe combination precisely locks into place, he turns to a life of crime. Hoffman, who steals every scene he's in, plays Niki's surrogate father and mentor, Harry Horowitz.
Though the film releases in theaters nationwide Friday, May 29, it's already enjoyed a limited release and strong festival run, screening at Telluride and TIFF last fall and Sundance this past winter. Those early showings are the reason it's sitting at an impressive 94% critics score and 92% fan rating on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its wide release.
Here's a little snapshot of what the critics are saying:
"So assured and satisfying is Roher's latest that it inadvertently highlights the rarity of this level of craftsmanship at the multiplex," Daily Beast writes in its review. "His gem is too modest and self-contained to change that sad state of affairs. Nonetheless, its excellence provides hope that there are still talented artists capable of, and committed to, breathing fresh life into classical forms - and that, when done correctly, there are few things better than a thriller that knows how to conduct underworld action like a maestro."
"Tuner is an enjoyable caper with a lot of elements you've seen in other movies, but rarely in this order … the unique setup keeps you engaged right up until the final note is played," Collider shares, also calling the film "the year's most unique thriller."
"An Oscar winner just a few years ago for Navalny, Roher has now crafted an engaging mix of character study and suspense caper," The Hollywood Reporter says, adding, "There are no flaws in Woodall's performance. If this movie does not catapult him to starring ranks, then there are few remaining certainties in today's cinematic landscape."
Though it's unlikely to produce a No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, Tuner, with its stellar cast and part-jazz/part-electronic score by Will Bates, classical compositions by Marius de Vries, and vintage tracks by Herbie Hancock, produces a soundscape as stylized as its story.
Translation: We see a standing ovation in your future.
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 3:55 PM.