The Stream: The premise is a little basic as a crime thriller.

The Big Screen: The ensemble cast is charismatic and charming across the board.

The Final Bill: A crime thriller with interesting twist uses its specific details to expand beyond the confines of the genre.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Daniel Roher
Writers: Daniel Roher & Robert Ramsey
Stars: Leo Woodall, Dustin Hoffman, Havana Rose Liu, Tovah Feldshuh, Lior Raz
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance
Rating: R for language throughout, some violence, drug use and brief nudity.
Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes
Production Companies: Black Bear, Elevation Pictures, English Breakfast Productions
Platform: In theaters May 29, 2026
Notable Trailers: Disclosure Day, The End of Oak Street, Wild Horse Nine, In the Grey

Hey, Streamers! I really can’t believe how many movies with an original story are on the big screen already this summer movie season. This weekend brings a few more to parse through. For instance, Tuner is an original crime thriller, and while the main character arguably has a superpower, this is not your run-of-the-mill superhero movie. In Tuner, Niki (Leo Woodall) is a former musician and talented piano tuner who suffers from debilitating hyperacusis. When Niki’s boss, Harry (Dustin Hoffman), falls on financial hard times, Niki gets roped into a scheme that uses his sensitive hearing to help Harry out of his hole. As these things go, a love interest for Niki, Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), complicates things. Two to the left, seven to the right hijinks ensue.

Man! Tuner, co-written and directed by Daniel Roher, is such an entertaining and engaging movie. Yes, the basic premise starts as an obvious crime thriller. It even has some of the same crime-thriller-y tropes in it, but Roher’s script has interesting details and makes unexpected turns that help elevate it from just your been-there-done-that crime thriller. Moreover, it’s a stylish movie that pulls the audience in from the very beginning. It looks good, is funny and makes the audience empathize with Niki. The editing ensure that the audience is with this movie as it moves from beat to beat.

Additionally, this cast is so good. It’s great to see Dustin Hoffman on the big screen. He’s still got it well into his eighties. Leo Woodall is a charismatic star. He’s able to play the vulnerability of Niki as well as the charming romantic lead. There’s a bit of an action element that Woodall is able to play as well. He also has palpable chemistry with Havana Rose Liu. Their romance subplot in this movie is integrated well and does not feel superfluous at all. She’s great too. Everything comes together in this movie with such ease. The disparate elements of the crime thriller and the romance dovetail with each other in interesting way. Yes, there’s a little bit of inevitability about this premise and these storylines, but it is always interesting.

Ultimately, Tuner is an exciting and engaging crime thriller with charismatic characters with interesting twists. The premise of this crime thriller uses interesting details to set it apart from others of the genre. The charming performances across the cast keep this film moving along as the story breezes by. This movie satisfies as both an entertaining action vehicle and, surprisingly, a good date movie. Grab a big box a popcorn and tune in.