Covering the London Film Festival has been one of the greatest pleasures I have ever experienced. Among the many fantastic films I have seen so far, one in particular has stayed firmly at the forefront of my mind. I was fortunate enough to secure a last-minute ticket to this year’s Surprise Film – an annual tradition at the festival where an unlisted film is screened, keeping audiences guessing until the lights go down. In previous years, festival-goers have been treated to titles such as Lady Bird, Ferrari, and Saturday Night.
For 2025, the choice was certainly unexpected, but the film far surpassed all expectations. Audiences were treated to Tuner, a gripping new film from BAFTA and Oscar-winning director Daniel Roher (Navalny). The film stars Leo Woodall as Niki White, a piano-tuning apprentice working under Harry, played by Dustin Hoffman. When Niki discovers that his finely tuned ear can also be used to crack safes – and earn far more money than he ever imagined – his life begins to spiral down a darker path.
The film also features Havana Rose Liu as Ruthie, Niki’s love interest and a gifted piano prodigy, Tovah Feldshuh as Marla, Harry’s wife, and Lior Raz as Uri, the man who brings Niki into the world of safecracking.
Tuner takes a brilliant concept that already feels strong on paper and brings it vividly to life on screen, guiding the audience through an emotional whirlwind from start to finish. As you watch, you’re taken on a journey that blends emotion, laughter, shock, tension, and relief. I found myself completely absorbed in the story, afraid to look away in case I missed even the smallest detail or a major turning point.
Daniel Roher has always had a great sense of pacing, and Tuner is no exception. With a runtime of around one hour and fifty minutes, it’s slightly shorter than many of this year’s major releases, but the length feels just right for a film of this nature. That said, I walked away wanting more, which says a great deal about how powerful and engaging this film truly is.
The performances across the cast are exceptional, but for me, all the praise has to go to Leo Woodall. I first saw him in One Day, where I thought he was fantastic, but his work here completely blew me away. His portrayal of Niki White stands out as one of my favourite performances of the year. He plays a deeply complex character juggling multiple aspects of his life, from piano tuning and safecracking to personal health struggles that slowly reveal more about his past. I particularly loved his scenes with Dustin Hoffman’s Harry, a witty, forgetful, yet warm father-figure presence. The chemistry between the two is fantastic, and their shared moments, especially when they’re working together, are among the highlights of the film. Those scenes not only showcase the emotional core of the story but also prove just how strong Leo Woodall has become as a leading actor.
There is so much more to be said about this movie, but it feels wrong of me to say it all and then ruin it for audiences that haven’t seen it yet. This is a film that demands the big screen – and is a must watch for 2025, going into 2026.
Tuner is absolute triumph of a movie, that has a gripping narrative, fantastic characters, some brilliant plot twists and jaw dropping moments and accompanies this all by some fantastic visuals and the performance of a lifetime from Leo Woodall.
