The protagonist has hyperacusis, which is a rare disorder where sounds are uncomfortably and often unbearably loud. It can accompany tinnitus, or a ringing in one's ears. There isn't a single cause or cure. Leo Woodall (Tony and The White Lotus) stars as Niki White, a former child prodigy or virtuoso who used to be one of the best pianists alive. However, he developed hyperacusis, which caused him to stop playing the piano. The loss or death of his father probably contributed to him stopping his piano play. It's not like he went deaf. He's able to manage his condition. He constantly wears earplugs or for certain environments he puts on headphones, but he works as a piano tuner, which means he still works with his preferred instrument. Yet, he refuses to play and I'm not sure the film sells that aspect as well. Woodall does give a good performance of a depressed, isolated or reserved man who is living with this affliction.
Havana Rose Liu (Lurker and Bottoms) co-stars as Ruthie, a pianist who is part of some music school in New York. She meets Niki when he comes to her school to fix the piano on the main stage. She's composing an orchestra with herself as the lead instrument. She has to practice and rehearse. As she does, she starts spending time with Niki and they develop a romance. Besides being this aspiring musician who wants to compose this piece for a famous maestro, we don't get much more beyond her having inherited a couple of things from her grandmother, thinking that Niki is moving too fast with the romance, and she wanting to stay focused on her music career. The performances from Woodall and Liu sell the romance and the feelings between the two though.
Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man and Kramer vs. Kramer) also co-stars as Harry Horowitz, the owner of a piano tuning business. He's known a lot of famous musicians over the years, including Herbie Hancock. He was friends with Niki's father who was also a great musician. He's basically playing an old man who says inappropriate things, goes on and on about the good ole days, and mostly sleeps, while supervising Niki on jobs. When he falls into medical trouble and owes a lot to the hospital, Niki decides to do what he can to pay off Harry's debt. This leads Niki into a life of crime, basically stealing to get the money.
It's interesting because Niki's condition helps him to commit the crimes. His condition is at times a curse and at other times a super-power. Seeing him deal with this condition is a hook that is enjoyable. The crime drama aspects work well enough. I simply wasn't all that compelled. Essentially, Niki uses his hearing condition to pick the locks of safes, or mechanical strongboxes. He first gets the idea to do so from watching a person without hyperacusis do some safe-cracking with a stethoscope or some kind of listening device. He stumbles upon some men who are doing some undercover safe-cracking, but they're doing so using a drill. It would seem to be necessary if they were dealing with a digital or electronic safe.
Yet, the safes that Niki has to crack seem to be ones that only need his ear. If that's the case, it seems odd that the criminals in question wouldn't just use what are safe-cracking tools that locksmiths have used for years. Why they would need to go to the extreme of drilling when tried-and-true tools would be easier and less messy. Lior Raz (Fauda and Gladiator II) plays Uri Stern, the head of a security company who works for wealthy people in New York. He installs security systems like surveillance cameras and alarms. He knows that many of them have safes in their homes. He decides to rob them by cracking their safes, but again his methods seem messy. It's messy in a way that doesn't make sense for the character, but allows for Niki to be involved in this plot.
The film does have this Robin Hood aspect to it where Uri makes the case about how they only target super wealthy people who often won't even notice or care if certain items are taken. This doesn't justify the actions, but it is a commentary on the huge, socioeconomic gaps that exist between the wealthy and the poor, as well as the erosion of the middle class. This film is also a commentary on the healthcare issue, and affordability crisis as well. So many people can't pay their bills, mainly due to medical bills, and this film is about the extremes that people go in order to pay down that debt, or in Niki's case impress a girlfriend. The film focuses on the fact that Niki refuses to play the piano despite being gifted in it, but I'm not sure the arc fully lands.
Rated R for language throughout, some violence, drug use and brief nudity.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 47 mins.
Available on Paramount +.
