It feels too, well, easy to suggest that “Tuner” — a promising crime drama/thriller about a gifted piano tuner-turned-safe cracker — falls out of tune somewhere around its halfway point.

And yet here we are.

Up until that point, we were willing to overlook some of the off-notes played in the narrative directorial debut from documentarian Daniel Roher (“Navalny”), who co-wrote the film with Robert Ramsey (“Intolerable Cruelty”), such as the semi-ridiculous plot machination that sees its protagonist fall in with a small criminal outfit after showing off his skills.

Safe cracking is fun fare for a movie, so we were willing to go along for the crime-doesn’t-pay fable — until Leo Woodall’s Niki White acts wildly out of character in the name of increasing the conflict quotient. Plus, not much later, we’re forced to swallow a ridiculous coincidence that helps bring the tale to a conclusion.

And yet, we still must give “Tuner” a reserved recommendation for its various harmonious elements, many of them being played in the film’s first half.

To counter a hearing condition that causes loud noises to be painful, Niki constantly wears wired earbuds, even doubling down with over-the-ear cans in the more decibel-heavy environments of a bustling New York City.

Still, he works with his pseudo-uncle and boss, respected veteran piano tuner Harry Horowitz (played with spirit by Hollywood legend Dustin Hoffman), and it’s a joy to watch the pair bicker. Importantly, though, like Harry, Niki has a tremendous ear for a piano’s problems.

And after learning that Harry has locked his hearing aids in his safe and can’t recall the combination — much to the frustration of his adoring wife, Marla (Tony Award–winner Tovah Feldshuh) — Niki learns he has the ears for safe cracking, too, the young man taking the Horowitzes’ safe home, watching some tutorial videos and getting inside it in one evening.

Not long after this, of course, Niki is working alone to get a wealthy man’s piano tuned before a mansion fundraiser featuring a performance by Billy Joel. Working at night — after workers have theoretically left so that he can hear properly — Niki can’t block out a loud sound coming from the floor above him. There, he learns, a few men led by security contractor Uri (Lior Raz) are drilling into a safe. Even though defensive Uri is obviously lying about the reason for this, Niki offers to crack the safe just to get the quiet he needs to finish his work.

Uri is, understandably, impressed and offers Niki a chance to make good money with them. Driven by a sudden need for a significant influx of revenue, Niki accepts and quickly becomes Uri’s most valuable employee.

Another big life change comes in the form of Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), a driven composition student with whom he doesn’t make the best first impression. Soon, though, he’s coming to her rescue with his piano-rehabbing skills, and the two couple up.

Even with all the safe-cracking and gorgeous piano music layered throughout “Tuner,” their romance is its strongest element. That’s why it’s so frustrating when, with his stress level admittedly turned up quite loud, Niki suddenly chooses to lay into Ruthie with a cruelty that simply feels forced.

It’s borderline-shocking how quickly Roher and Ramsey’s composition turns from relatively melodic to something akin to scraping fingernails across a chalkboard. And, again, its climactic stretch won’t leave you humming its praises, even as it leaves you with a lovely bit of music.

On the other hand, Roher’s Academy Award-winning talents as a director are on display, “Tuner” moving briskly with purpose. It is also artfully shot by cinematographer Lowell A. Meyer (“Knock at the Cabin”) and benefits on the audio side from everyone from music supervisor Steve Gizicki and composer Will Bates to sound designer Johnnie Burn, whose work is crucial at certain points.

Plus, Woodall (“One Day,” “Prime Target”) is appealing in the lead role, bringing a less-is-more approach to Niki — except when he’s overcome with pain from loud noises, the actor capably selling the situation.

However, Liu (“Bottoms”) turns in the most compelling performance in “Tuner.” She’s terrific in the scene in which Niki comes to her apartment to try to save the water-damaged piano gifted to her by her late grandmother, and we’re with her every step of the way as she readies a complex piece of music that, she hopes, will win the attention of influential composer Marius Maissner (Jean Reno) when she performs it at a recital.

The hook of a piano tuner becoming a safe cracker is a really solid gimmick, and perhaps somewhere in the cinematic multiverse, stronger versions of “Tuner” exist, incarnations that lean more heavily on the romance or are playful heist movies.

We’d rather watch those, but, despite our gripes, do not regret having seen this one.

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'TUNER'

2.5 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: R (for language throughout, some violence, drug use and brief nudity)

Running time: 1:49

How to watch: In theaters May 29

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