TIFF 2025 Review : Tuner

Leo Woodall and newcomer Havana Rose Liu Hit the Right Notes in Tuner

Leo Woodall has been lighting up screens this past year  from The White Lotus to One Day  so it’s great to see him stepping into more film roles. His latest, Tuner, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF 2025), starring alongside the legendary Dustin Hoffman. I went in with no expectations, a film about a piano tuner and his mentor didn’t sound particularly groundbreaking but Tuner turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

The story begins light and engaging, introducing Niki (Leo Woodall), a gifted piano tuner with an extraordinary sense of hearing. Working closely with his mentor, Harry ( Dustin Hoffman), Niki discovers that his unique talent extends beyond music  he can also unlock safes. This unexpected skill pulls him into the world of crime, where his quiet precision becomes a tool for far more dangerous purposes.

Meanwhile, Niki meets Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), a pianist whose warmth and passion inspire him to want more out of life. Their connection gives the film its emotional center, grounding the heist-like tension in something that is real, tender, and the purest form of being human. Even when Niki’s choices cross moral lines, his motivation feels sincere (don’t we always have good intentions?), he’s just trying to build something good for the person he loves.

Tuner evolves beautifully from a quiet drama into a thoughtful reflection on talent, morality, and love. What begins as a film about music turns into a story about finding harmony in life itself.

Elevation Pictures will release Tuner in theatres, though an official release date has yet to be confirmed.