‘Tuner’ is a Modest Thriller with a Big Impact

May 20, 2026

jmunney Cinema, Movie Reviews , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Staying in Tune (CREDIT: Black Bear/Screenshot)

Starring: Leo Woodall, Havana Rose Liu, Dustin Hoffman, Tovah Feldshuh, Lior Raz, Nissan Sakira, Gil Cohen, Jean Reno

Director: Daniel Roher

Running Time: 107 Minutes

Rating: R for Language, Criminals Pushed Over the Edge, and Some Hard Drugs

Release Date: May 22, 2026 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: Niki White (Leo Woodall) once had a promising future as a virtuoso pianist, but then he developed a terrible case of hyperacusis, which basically means he’s allergic to excessive noise. He’s managed to remain in the business of those 88 keys as an apprentice to legendary New York City piano tuner Harry Horowitz (Dustin Hoffman), who’s basically an uncle to him. When Harry ends up in the hospital, Niki resorts to not-exactly-legal means to keep the tuning business afloat and cover Harry’s medical bills, as his preternatural pitch detection skills allow him to become an ace safecracker for a smooth-talking professional thief named Uri (Lior Raz). Niki eventually tries to back out when Uri and his crew cross too many lines, but he’s already in too deep, which isn’t exactly good news when it comes to his budding romance with fellow piano powerhouse Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu) or his own personal safety.

What Made an Impression?: The Leo-ding Man: Woodall has what I would complimentarily refer to as Resting Compelling Sadboy Face. You can read so much into what’s underneath those pores while he’s brooding out a window, and that disposition also means that his different-flavored co-stars in Tuner have plenty to bounce off. So if you want Dustin Hoffman to be charming while also a little too forward, or to feel the heat with Havana Rose Liu, or for Lior Raz to play the dangerous friend, or for Tovah Feldshuh to just deliver some necessary wisdom, well, that’s all going to land comfortably in the space that Woodall provides.
It Really Does Sound Like That Sometimes, Doesn’t It?: While the cast is solid across the board, the creative contributor who leaves the biggest impression besides Woodall is actually composer Will Bates. His propulsive jazz-inflected score captures the rush of what must be going through Niki’s head as he does his best to make it through this bumpy stage in his life. It might be a case of the music telling you exactly how you’re supposed to feel, but I endorse that decision. Certainly in this particular genre.
I Can’t Get Enough: Whenever I think about this movie’s title, I can’t help but say “Too Much Tuner” a la Nick Kroll and John Mulaney’s “Oh, Hello” routine. And the movie itself actually plays into that! Specifically, Harry discusses his affinity for tuna sandwiches, and it’s even revealed that he’s known as the “Tuner Fish.” I don’t know if this allusive ichthyology was intentional on director Daniel Roher and his co-screenwriter Robert Ramsey’s part, but in any case, it absolutely satisfied what I was looking for.

Tuner is Recommended If You Like: The kind of movie that makes you lean forward and politely asks you not to blink

Grade: 4 out of 5 Safes

What’s Up, ‘The AI Doc’?

April 15, 2026

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TFW you’re Co-director Daniel Roher during the production of THE AI DOC: OR HOW I BECAME AN APOCALOPTIMIST, a Focus Features release. (Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2025 All Rights Reserved)

Starring: Human Beings

Directors: Daniel Roher and Charlie Tyrell

Running Time: 104 Minutes

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: March 27, 2026 (Theaters)

The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist pretty much confirmed where I’m already at, which is to say:

1. AI doomsayers are out to lunch.
2. AI utopia prophets ought to temper their excitement.
3. Current AI technologies are not going away.
4. It’s up to everyone to wield their influence for the best possible outcome.

So I didn’t need to watch this documentary to become clear-headed about this inflection point in human history, but I nevertheless appreciated the catharsis of getting to see co-director/first-time-father-to-be Daniel Roher working through his anxiety via a creative project.

Grade: 1,000,000,000,000 Gallons of Water out of 8,888,888,888 LLM Prompts

In ‘Once Were Brothers,’ The Talking Head Documentary Comes Calling for The Band

February 18, 2020

jmunney Cinema, Movie Reviews, Music , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

PHOTO CREDIT: Elliott Landy

Starring: The Band

Director: Daniel Roher

Running Time: 98 Minutes

Rating: R for Language Apparently

Release Date: February 21, 2020 (Limited)

If you want to see the story of a music group in feature film form, you’ve got plenty of rock biopics to choose from. But how many of them really capture the bands at their truest essence? Another common option to sate your musical desire is the talking head documentary, which has no illusions about its ability (or lack thereof) to recreate all those melodies and lyrics springing into being. But the oral tradition is an important one. What is passed down from storyteller to listener is transformed into something a little different in its journey from mouth to ear, but there is nevertheless quite a bit of magic in the mix, especially when you have first-hand witness accounts at the ready. Not everyone who was around when it happened was available for Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band, but there’s enough in this telling to convey the power of one of the most influential groups in rock music history.

If you’re a superfan of The Band, you might already know a fair amount of the details in Once Were Brothers, but you’ll probably enjoy getting to experience them all again anyway. If you’re a casual fan who doesn’t know a whole lot of the backstory (like myself), you’ll find plenty to engage with as you get to hear some fantastic tunes. And if you’re a bit of a Band newbie who wants to know more about inflection points in popular American music, I think you’ll find a lot to latch onto. As Bruce Springsteen claims at one point in the film, The Band’s lineup included “three of the greatest white singers in rock history.” To me, that sounds like the prelude to a story worthy of a deep-dive examination, and Once Were Brothers delivers on that promise.

Once Were Brothers is Recommended If You Like: Country rock, Roots rock, Southern rock, Folk rock

Grade: 3.5 out of 5 Big Pinks