Roofman: A Charming True Story Dramedy

Premiering at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, Roofman is the kind of dramedy that hits theatres every once in a while. What sets them apart from one another is their stories and characters, where the best ones leave a resonant impact with audiences. Based on the true story of Jeffrey Manchester, otherwise known as the ‘Roofman,’ this very human story revels in the flawed nature of humanity, something that becomes easy to see one’s self in and also invest in on an emotional level. Further putting Channing Tatum on the map as a movie star, he delivers a career-best performance as Manchester, leaning on his effortless charm and charisma to create a flawed yet tragic figure worth going on this journey with. Though not without flaws, the biggest one being its 2+ hour running time, this late 1990s time capsule has an undeniable charm to it that lifts the film to even greater heights. Meanwhile, a stellar supporting cast featuring the likes of Kirsten Dunst, Peter Dinklage, Juno Temple, and LaKeith Stanfield among others, round out a film that may be on the predictable side, but it essentially doesn’t matter because of the strength of everything else it has going on.

As mentioned, based on a true story, Roofman is centered around Jeffrey Manchester (Tatum), an Army veteran and divorced father who, despite his high intelligence and superior perception skills, regularly found himself on the wrong side of the coin, struggling to support he and his young daughter. His solution, however, was to rob McDonald’s restaurants in order get those around him the kind of life they deserved. Getting in the restaurants by cutting holes in their rooves, this method earned Manchester the moniker of ‘Roofman.’ This strategy, one that would clearly not last forever, found itself come to an end as the police inevitably caught up to him. Sent to prison for his crimes, Manchester, undeterred, devised a way to escape prison and succeeded soon after to get back to his family. On the run from authorities, he eventually ended up in a Toys “R” Us where he managed to survive undetected for six months. As he plotted his next move, Manchester had free reign of the store when it was closed, living on chocolate and baby food while entertaining himself with various toys. Over time, figuring out a system that worked for him, the ingenuity on display made for a fun watch alongside the tension from risking capture.

Increasingly becoming one with the store, Manchester watched over its happenings, falling for a woman named Leigh (Dunst), a divorced mom and an employee at the Toys “R” Us. That being said, his actions did not go unnoticed by the store, and manager Mitch (Dinklage). Fed up with being a bystander, he decided to take action and in doing so, found Leigh. Immediately drawn to his charm, the pair would become involved as he played a bigger role in her and her children’s lives, reverting back to his old tendencies. Bonding over church, they became another family to him. As his feelings for Leigh and her family grew stronger and the more he became consumed by that fantasy, the more he put himself and Leigh’s family in danger. Between his life at the store and his wife with Leigh, the pressure of his double life began to weigh on Manchester. With his Toys “R” Us hideout only meant to be temporary while he plotted a way out of the country, his feelings ultimately got in the way, threatening that goal. Either way, it was only a matter of time until that double life fell apart as the walls were closing in from both sides. Always calculated, under threat and emotional, it was in that desperate state where his questionable decisions led to his downfall, getting locked up in prison for good.

It goes without saying that the best part of Roofman is Tatum’s terrific performance as Manchester. A good guy who did some bad things, he was a flawed figure who meant well but often went about it the wrong way. While audiences may not agree with his actions, his intentions are relatable. Similarly, his range was up to the task, playing both the comedic and dramatic sides of the story with ease. Manchester was a complicated man who cared about people, wrestling that with the consequences of his actions clearly left a toll on him. Those feelings could be seen on his face, as audiences feel what he feels, for better or worse. Though at its most compelling when Tatum, as Manchester, is figuring things out, his chemistry with Dunst’s Leigh adds levity to the story as she reminds him of his humanity and that there still is good people left in this world. Dinklage, in his limited screen time, is a worthy foil as the rest of the supporting cast each play a vital role in the story, popping in and out as needed.

In the end, Roofman is a winning true story dramedy whose strength comes through its undeniable charm and career-best performance from Channing Tatum.

still courtesy of Paramount Pictures

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.