A talented piano tuner's meticulous skills for tuning pianos lead him to discover an unexpected aptitude for cracking safes, turning his life upside down.
Niki (Leo Woodall) is a gifted young piano tuner whose heightened sense of hearing draws the attention of criminals, who see his talents as useful for opening safes as well as for tuning Steinways. With his once-promising musical career over, Niki works across New York with his mentor Harry Horowitz (Dustin Hoffman), encountering a range of characters, including composition student Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), with whom he forges an unexpected connection. Niki's safecracking work however, threatens his budding romance with Ruthie and pulls him into increasingly dangerous territory. Anchored by a quiet yet compelling performance by Woodall (surely one of our most charismatic stars), the film gives a lovely late-career showcase to Hoffman. The mix of genre elements is a delight and the jazzy score, fast pace and strong performances make much of the film sing. This is Daniel Roher's first narrative feature after the Oscar-winning 2023 documentary ‘Navalny’.
USA 2025 Daniel Roher 109m
