There is a crime heist with a tune that resonates in the Chicago Critics Film Festival. It is a film that involves a piano tuner, safety deposit boxes, and family hardship. Given all these components, it comes down to the tuner making hard choices to help those he loves. Since the tuner has struggles with hearing, he feels connected to reality and those who matter to him the most. Directed by Daniel Roher, this is Tuner. Audiences will have their minds blown and the outcomes will turn their worlds around. So many questions are at play as different operations come around in this story.

The main character fixes pianos. His name is Niki, played by Leo Woodall. He tries to help his family members with their finances. The family member with health issues is Henry, played by Dustin Hoffman. Niki wants to help and has found an easy way. With his talent cracking safes by listening closely, he falls in with criminals. Niki ends up doing all kinds of robbery jobs, many of which are discreet. Soon though, his life falls on the line. He may be making the dough, but the heists get riskier as the criminals utilize his hearing challenges to take advantage of him. He also finds himself in a relationship with a piano player named Ruthie, played by Havana Rose Liu. While Niki tries to get his life together to help those who matter and build a livelihood through crime, he does not know his limits.

The film is a crazy, daring ride where I was jumping out of my seat every time there was a moment when Niki had to deal with his sound barriers. I also was sold on how he can fix the pianos while at the same time navigating constant frustrations. Woodall’s performance playing a character with a disabilityprovides motivation for viewers to persevere. Despite the wrong path he pursues, there is a cinematic twist that will leave audiences breathless. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for Tuner.