Roofman tells the bizarre-yet-mostly-true story of Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum): a former Army Reserve officer who turns to a life of crime by robbing over 45 McDonald’s across North Carolina. His M.O. was simple: break in at night via the roof, and rob the morning staff at gunpoint before any customers came in. Eventually, he gets caught and sentenced to 45 years in prison. Cut to a few years later in 2004, he escapes and evades capture by lying low in a Toys “R” Us until the heat dies down.
From the sound of the premise, you’d be fair to think the film is going to be a goofy comedy centred on Manchester’s shenanigans in the store. To my surprise, most of Roofman remains remarkably grounded. Even though there are plenty of laughs, director Derek Cianfrance (who also co-wrote the film with Kirt Gunn) frames it as a mostly serious character piece, although one infinitely less bleak than his earlier dramas, such as Blue Valentine.
Jeffrey is portrayed as a kind, intelligent man who keeps making increasingly poor decisions, believing it’s the only way to provide for his family. His kind nature even extends to his victims, as he offers his coat to help them stay warm inside the walk-in fridges where he leaves them before making his escape. While the film doesn’t condone his criminal acts, it is empathetic toward his reasons for them. Much of that comes courtesy of Channing Tatum’s innate charm, as he delivers one of his strongest and most nuanced performances to date.
“To my surprise, most of Roofman remains remarkably grounded.”
Roofman later shifts into a full-on rom-com when Jeffrey falls for one of the employees, single mother Leigh Wainscott (Kirsten Dunst). He woos her under a false identity, delivers toys (stolen from the store) to her local church and ingratiates himself as a beloved member of the community. Right from the get-go, the chemistry between Dunst and Tatum is one of the film’s brightest aspects. Even though their romance is built on some pretty heavy lies, and Jeffrey’s tragically aware that its development could likely lead to his recapture, the two of them are so sweet together that you still want them to build a potential life together.
Roofman has a solid supporting cast, highlighted by Peter Dinklage’s sharp turn as Toys “R” Us manager Keith, LaKeith Stanfield as Jeffrey’s fellow veteran Mitch, and Ben Mendelsohn and Uzo Aduba as the church leaders. The latter two, however, are woefully underused. Stanfield’s character, in particular, feels underwritten, existing mainly as a clichéd reminder of Jeffrey’s criminal past.
Even with these small issues, it’s hard not to be swayed by Roofman’s crowd-pleasing charm. The film’s dramatic and comedic elements work together more effectively than expected, and the two strong lead performances help keep it engaging and even heartwarming for most of its runtime. Jeffrey Manchester isn’t a good man, but he certainly is a kind one.
