A quiet young man with no parents, earphones that seem permanently attached to his head, assisting a group of gangsters with a robbery while sparking also up a new romance? You’d not be far off to assume this is just the plot of Edgar Wright’s hit action-comedy Baby Driver. But there are no speeding cars, getaways, parking garage battles, or Mike Myers Halloween masks, though both do share the use of Dave Brubeck’s “Unsquare Dance”. Strip the whiz-bang action bonanza of Baby Driver and you’ve got the looser, steelier, and lower-key Tuner, the Oscar-winning Nalvany director Daniel Roher’s newest narrative film. Leo Woodall stars as protagonist Niki White and Dustin Hoffman co-stars as his mentor Harry Horowitz, two piano tuners who truly are the best at what they do. Niki, in particular, with his hyper-sensitive hearing, as gifted at perfecting the keys of a grand piano as he is meticulously unlocking safes.

At first, it’s just to help Harry open a safe after forgetting its combination. A simple, grateful favor to his old master. But after Niki stumbles upon their attempted robbery during one of his tuning jobs, a group of Israeli thieves enlist his help to open more secured troves. Crime is not Niki’s passion, with his heart-of-gold quiet charm far more intent on newly wooing the aspiring pianist Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu) after helping her fix her beloved grand piano ahead of her pivotal upcoming concert performance. At his core, he is a good person, uninterested in even the concept of wealth. But after Harry suffers a health crisis, Niki is compelled to earn enough to help support Harry’s medical expenses, as Harry’s wife Marla (Tovah Feldshuh) cannot do much on her own. So begins a chaotic and intense criminal journey that takes Niki down multiple dangerous avenues. Once he thought he was out, they pull him back in! He’s never truly done with a job, as with each new robbery attempt, so comes with it another tricky quest.

Woodall is absolutely smoldering in this role, with his doe eyes emoting perfect on-screen sensitivity and his stature commanding an old school leading man presence. Underneath all of his solemn mysteriousness is a character aching to hear the world around him like a normal human being, robbed of a life where his ears don’t have to be covered, whose superhuman gift is also his curse. His partnership with Hoffman is sweet and understated and his blossoming romance with Ruthie is tender and instantly magnetic. All-too familiar story threadings aside, Woodall’s engaging star presence keeps you hooked to the screen.

The team of goons who recruit him are also surprisingly well-personified. Headed by leader Uri (Lior Raz) a formidable and intimidating instructor who can’t help but press his luck further, dragging Niki along with him and his edgy accomplice Yoni, as well as his flowery and soft-spoken nephew (Nissan Sakira), who has no business nor interest to be tagging along on his uncle’s treasure hunts. Dustin Hoffman, whose mere casting feels like a sigh of relief given the acclaimed actor’s lack of onscreen appearances in the last few years, does a whole lot with just his presence alone in a calmer, more reserved late career role. Hoffman could likely have done this part with no ounce of effort whatsoever, but it’s practically impossible for the legendary performer to not perfect a role, especially with his naturally calming chemistry with Woodall that consistently oozes warmth and knowledge.

Despite few gunshots and chase scenes, Tuner is paced like a well-oiled action flick, cutting swiftly between montages with perfect music cues and granular visual depictions of Niki’s incredible superpower, ratcheting effective suspense as Niki struggles to keep his criminal activity and his relationship with Ruthie separate. So as with a film about the importance of sound as a plot point, the actual sound design here is immaculate as well. Every gliding click of a lock combination or sudden amplification of his hearing sensitivity expertly places us inside Niki’s burdened brain. Tuner is a slick, old-fashioned caper that keeps its narrative ambitions tight and simple, and as promised, hits all the right notes in the process.