Tuner

Tension: How far will Nicky go for those he loves? Theme: Gifts (as in attributes) can be taken too far Writing: I really enjoyed this film! The main character was interesting and had the right amount of solemn and mysterious to me, and all the other characters were very interesting. I felt like the romance was unique in that you don’t get to see this kind of relationship on screen often aka one that genuinely felt realistic and full of subtleties and imperfections. I wasn’t too concerned about the magnitude of the crimes so much as the relationships that were affected and the consequences for Corey. And dang he had some consequences I wasn’t expecting. There was a lot to be said about his disability and his gift, and how everyone around him seemed to have an opinion on it, I do feel like the mourning he was talking about at the end didn’t come across as much as it should have earlier on but I really felt for that moment where he said his goal was working towards being okay. And then the line of “I was a better piano player than you’ll ever be.” 💀 chill Nicky. I don’t get what he had to break into that other vault where he was kidnapped when he already knew the code and considering time was very much of the essence there? Also I didn’t completely understand if it was just cryptocurrency? I thought his relationship with Harold and Marla was tender and just made him really likable in general. I was really shocked how Uri hurt him in the end in such a savage way but also still gave him the watch he was asking for. I was pretty tense during that and really thought he cut off his ear completely when he was taking off the bandages.  Acting: I felt like all the actors did a solid convincing job, the most I felt was during the argument scene between him and Ruthy. At the same time, I did wish to feel a bit more which came more from the writing than the acting I’d say. Idk if they actually played the piano or not but I was looking for the cutaways and it was hard to tell if they did or not still so props to them. Uri and friends were really convincing and charming in ways that seemed both loving and ruthless which was some nice nuance. Just them telling people to shut up during the unlocks made them admirable.plus they were funny like the lie with the loan shark and the. Saying in Spanish “I thought you said this guy sold blenders?” “Yes the nutriblender” Cinematography: Lots of close ups and long lenses used which really gave me Whiplash vibes which I love. You can tell framing was really important for them because of all the editing. Also just putting cameras in the places that make you think, like inside a safe when everything is black all of a sudden. Appreciated the shaky takes when he was in pain from noise.  Production Design: Lots of beautiful pianos and locations from the rich, but surprisingly versatile. Surprised we never saw Nicky’s place, I guess the van was more like his place which had little figurines everywhere. Great design in that one hood house Sound: This was probably the spectacle of the movie. So impressive how they tried to put you in Nicky’s ears as often as possible even if it would annoy you because that’s the way he had to live. And just hearing the tiny details of every single thing. Plus all the piano moments were wonderful, especially the ending where Nicky finally plays (well held off until the end) and how Ruthy’s song matched so well with the cross cutting.  Editing: The other spectacle of this movie. The amount of match cuts were insane and worth studying, from safes to heads to watches to vinyls. Lots of montages that didn’t feel like montages which is a hard feat to pull off.