It is always interesting when a story introduces a protagonist with a physical disability, but also an exceptional talent that is, more often than not, used for some form of illicit activity. We remember Ricardo Darín in El Aura (2005) and his epileptic seizures, paired with an extraordinary intelligence for planning, which he uses to orchestrate the perfect heist. In The Lookout (2007), Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a man with a brain injury who ends up becoming a key piece in a complex robbery. We can even mention Baby Driver (2017), where Ansel Elgort’s character suffers from a hearing disorder but possesses an impressive ability to drive, making a living transporting criminals. It is this last film that Tuner most closely connects with in the way it structures its central character.

Niki (Leo Woodall) is a talented pianist with a promising career ahead of him. A diagnosis of hyperacusis shatters his dreams and upends his life. Niki ends up working alongside a veteran pianist, Harry Horowitz (Dustin Hoffman), and together they tune pianos. Niki’s hearing impairment also becomes his greatest strength in his work; his hypersensitive ear makes him the best in his field. By pure chance, Niki discovers that with this talent, he can also decipher combinations to open safes, and from there, things take a turn for the worse.

Where Daniel Roher’s film stands out is in the creation of its central character. Niki’s backstory is gradually revealed as the story unfolds, and each element draws us closer to his purpose and motivations. Tuner works both as a crime thriller and as a human drama. It is in the thriller aspect where it finds its strongest form; in the drama, it occasionally falters, making concessions that push it toward the edges of melodrama, though never fully crossing the line. We come to care about Niki and his world, just as we are drawn into the tension of the criminal underworld he slowly enters.

Tuner does not aim for a grand master heist; instead, it prefers to immerse us in the mind of Niki, who is brilliantly played by Leo Woodall. It finds a balance between suspense and drama that sustains the story and gives it strong pacing. The premise unfolds with precision, and on a technical level, it is a film that benefits greatly from its editing. The film confronts us with the protagonist’s decisions and their consequences, leading to a well-executed ending.