Tuner is one of those films that sneaks up on you; and knows not to overreach, or overstay its welcome. As a result, what starts off as an engaging psychological and personality portrait, successfully transitions to an engrossing crime drama, and we’re left rocked by the emotional roller coaster ride that we happily submit to.

It opens July 22 at Ayala Cinemas, with some screens opening even earlier than the 22nd.

If you love cinema, and good story-telling, I’ll state early on that you should give this little film a chance to beguile, and charm you. You won’t regret having entered the movie house.

Directed and co-written by Daniel Roher, this is his first feature film, as he’s best known for the award-winning documentary, "Navalny."

Leo Woodall stars as piano tuner Niki White, and we have Dustin Hoffmann as Harry Horowitz, his business mentor. Havana Rose Liu portrays Ruthie, a graduate student of music, and Lion Roz is Uri, leader of a small gang of "security experts." Also in the cast are Jean Reno as Marius, and Tovah Feldshuh as Maria, Harry’s wife.

The premise is a rather unique one. Harry Horowitz is the proprietor of a small New York-based service company that specializes in tuning pianos. He had the gift but is aging, and has found a protégée in Niki White. Niki was himself a promising piano player, but suffers from hyperacusis - violently allergic to loud noises. Niki has the talent for being pitch perfect and recognising notes just by hearing them. This auditory sensitivity turns into a gift to cracking safes, as he "hears" when the tumblers click into place. This is discovered when trying to help Harry, who inadvertently left his hearing aid in his safe, and forgot the combination.

In one crazy sequence, a small band of "security experts" who are trying to liberate some choice items from a home vault are assisted by Niki, who just wants to get on with tuning the house piano without the noise the gang had been creating. Of course, this leads to a downward spiral, precipitated by Harry falling sick and steep medical expenses having to be met. Niki, against his better sense of morality, allows himself to be sucked in with this violent group.

There’s a sidebar story that involves Ruthie, that symbolizes that dream world Niki can aspire for and hope to inhabit, with someone to share it with. And that’s what works with this screenplay; we root for Niki, knowing the inevitability of hubris and poetic justice. But that doesn’t make it less painful or tragic when it does happen. Roher is efficient in setting this up with his editing - doesn’t linger unnecessarily, and with his use of music.

I’m reminded of the Riz Ahmed film, "Sound of Metal;" as it also involved the sense of hearing, and how the director tries to make us enter the world of the protagonist. If in "Sound..." it was hearing loss, here in "Tuner," it’s an acute sensitivity. Both are worlds that aren’t part of our everyday and is more merely imagined, so kudos to Roher for helping us get immersed in the life of Niki.

Hoffman is wonderful here, turning each of his scene into a reminder of why he’s so highly regarded as an actor. Woodall surprises us with his sensitive portrayal, and Liu sets the right tone, but isn’t asked for that much emoting. It’s more how everything is put together that made this such a little gem of a film for me. I just found the very last scene ringing false for me, and we could have ended the film right before that. But go watch this film, and enjoy tight, brisk, and effective story-telling.