‘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

Life is Hard When It’s ‘Armageddon Time’

October 24, 2022

jmunney Cinema, Movie Reviews , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Armageddon and his friend Time (CREDIT: Anne Joyce/Focus Features)

Starring: Banks Repeta, Jeremy Strong, Anne Hathaway, Anthony Hopkins, Jaylin Webb, Ryan Sell, Tovah Feldshuh, Andrew Polk

Director: James Gray

Running Time: 115 Minutes

Rating: R for Some Language, Corporal Punishment, and Pre-Teen Delinquency

Release Date: October 28, 2022 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: Middle school is an awkward, frequently terrifying time for a lot of people. That’s especially true for budding artist Paul Graff (Banks Repeta) during his time in sixth grade in 1980 Queens at P.S. 173. He’s got the most hard-ass teacher in the world (Andrew Polk), although you get the sense that that was par for the course for the time period. His parents (Jeremy Strong and Anne Hathaway) want the best for him, but they don’t understand him and all their interactions are filled with constant, occasionally violent frustration. His older brother (Ryan Sell) isn’t too bad, though he is a run-of-the-mill pain in the butt.

Paul escapes all that angst occasionally with his best friend Johnny (Jaylin Webb). But that also leads into an even more troubled world since Johnny is the class troublemaker with a troubled home life, and Paul can’t even begin to fathom the racism Johnny experiences as a young black man, even though his family does clue him in on what his Jewish ancestors have had to endure. It doesn’t get much better for Paul when he transfers to a private school where one of the main benefactors is none other than Fred Trump (John Diehl). At least he has his wise and gentle grandfather Aaron (Anthony Hopkins) to turn to in times of (never-ending) crisis.

What Made an Impression?: I had a sneaking suspicion that Armageddon Time wasn’t going to have a happy ending. It is named “ARMAGEDDON Time,” after all. There may not be a nuclear war to wipe everybody out, even though Paul’s family is devastated by the election of Ronald Reagan. But after everything that Paul goes through over the course of this movie, he can be forgiven for thinking it’s just as bad. Not much is offered in the way of catharsis, though there is just a hint of hope. I found it all incredibly compelling, though I wasn’t exactly sure why that was while watching. I certainly enjoy a good coming-of-age yarn, but this one is a lot more unpleasant than most. I suspect it works as well as it does because it’s based on writer-director James Gray’s own childhood, and it feels like an honest reckoning. Everyone has a story worth telling, and when you’re as vibrant a storyteller as Gray is, I’m happy to see that story on the big screen.

Armageddon Time is Recommended If You Like: Dickensian bildungsromans

Grade: 4 out of 5 Rapper’s Delights