#TIFF25: “TUNER” REVIEW

By Mr. Will Wong

Filmed right here in Toronto, Academy Award winner Daniel Roher gets a full circle moment with his Thriller TUNER premiering at TIFF ’25. The Film centers on Niki White (Leo Wooddall), a once aspiring Pianist whose aspirations were curtailed as he developed a condition that made him sensitive to noise. Niki translates his skills unexpectedly, using his special abilities to hear, the help mobsters execute their heists being able to hear safe combinations. He meets a talented pianist in Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), though she has no awareness of this double life he heads.

Wooddall solidifies his standing as a certified leading man after wowing many of us in The White Lotus Season Two. He beautifully balances Niki‘s unreconciled failure together with an ambition to win Ruthie‘s heart, all while navigating his challenging condition that both helps him and harms him at once. Liu also delivers a tremendous performance as a woman all-in to secure her future as a professional pianist, her focus thwarted by this looming relationship with Niki. Our only complaint is an under-utilized Dustin Hoffman as Niki’s grandfather Harry.

Roher makes a successful transition to fictional storytelling, keeping us invested in Niki’s trouble and resilience. TUNER screens TIFF ’25 as follows:

Monday, September 8
VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre
Premium
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
2:45 pm

Tuesday, September 9
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
11:55 am