By: Jamie Steinberg
For those of us unfamiliar with the true story behind the film Roofman, you enter the film intrigued by the premise of a thief hiding out for months in a Toys “R” Us store. Add in the good looks of Channing Tatum as leading man and Kirsten Dunst as his love interest and I’m seated for the movie. However, director Derek Cianfrance mixes his messages a little too late in the film for it to truly find its footing. Roofman is a crime drama turned “the moral of the story” cautionary tale that initially keeps your focus, but eventually has you ducking out for more popcorn.
Former US Army Reserve officer Jeffrey Manchester is struggling to make ends meet and resorts to – politely – robbing fast food chain restaurants throughout the late 90’s by entering via their roof. Thus, the title of “Roofman” was born. He is sentenced to prison for 45 years, only to escape. He is then able to stow away in a Toys “R” Us where, under the alias of “John Zorn,” he meets and falls for an employee named Leigh (Dunst). Leigh is a newly divorced single mom who invites Manchester to church – sparking a romance. Unfortunately, this is when things start to turn for Manchester and he finds himself back in the hands of the law and it’s all thanks to Leigh catching a clip on TV about the thief’s disappearance.
Tatum shines in his performance as Manchester, emoting the pathos and depth of his role quite well. The charisma needed to pull off Manchester definitely suits Tatum and even gives audiences watching an emotional tug for him. Dunst is also likeable as Leigh and while you wish things could work out for her and Manchester there is a weight of knowing that it’s only a matter of time before he’s caught again and she’s heartbroken. One element that takes away from the film’s enjoyment is side character Mitch (played by Peter Dinklage) – the toy store’s manager – who seems to solely be there for the comic relief. Additionally, it isn’t until the end of the film where Manchester expresses his regret and realizes that people value time spent together over monetary mementos. It is at this moment where Cianfrance’s film makes a left turn that is a little too late in the movie to redirect the message behind Manchester’s madness.
The most fascinating part of the film comes after the credits have rolled and we watch real archival news footage of Manchester’s crimes. It adds a reality to the “based on a true story” side of the film. Roofman is a fascinating crime drama turned rom-dram that, sadly, changes into a full on drama when Manchester begins pondering his warped notions of what makes a man a man. Grab a ticket to see Roofman for the intriguing crime story, but don’t expect the fun times to last very long as eventually all good things must come to an end.