Today’s quick review: Grand Piano. Tom Selznick (Elijah Wood), a world-class pianist with a bad case of nerves, is returning to the stage after five years of retirement. But his comeback performance is hijacked by a hidden sniper (John Cusack) with a simple threat: miss a note and die. Now Tom must find a way to get himself and his wife (Kerry Bishe) out of danger while giving the performance of his life.
Grand Piano is a minimalist thriller with an unusual premise. Elijah Wood stars as Tom Selznick, a pianist who flubbed a difficult piece years ago, shattering his confidence and tanking his career. John Cusack plays opposite him as a voice on the other side of an earpiece, who wants to ensure a perfect performance from Tom for his own mysterious purposes.
From this setup, Grand Piano plays out as a decent thriller with good direction and a linear plot. Elijah Wood and John Cusack both deliver solid performances, and while neither character is all that deep, they fit the story nicely. The plot works up a good bit of tension, setting up a fruitful tug of war between Tom’s tenuous grip on the music, his tormentor’s threats, and Tom’s attempts to worm his way out of the crosshairs.
The whole package is wrapped up by a dramatic classical soundtrack and a good deal of polish for what is clearly a budget production. Grand Piano does have a few failings, however. The concept doesn’t give the film too much to work with, just enough to squeak out an hour and a half of content with some padding. The ending, while satisfying, does not offer much in the way of escalation. The result is a succinct take on a gripping premise rather than a full-blown epic.
Watch Grand Piano when you are in the mood for an unconventional thriller with a few good moments that does not overstay its welcome. Though somewhat limited in scope, Grand Piano delivers what it promises: a tense dramatization of the concept of stage fright. Skip it if you are looking for a thriller with more action, better execution, or a more elaborate plot.
5.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for an inventive premise and decent execution.