By Jackson TOYON

Sometimes real life can be just as strange as fiction. For example, take the story of criminal Jeffery Manchester. 

Known for his robberies of restaurant chains (mostly McDonald’s) in which witnesses always described him as being exceedingly gentle and kind, he earned his moniker “The Roofman” due to his tried-and-true method of smashing his way into buildings through the roof. After being caught for his string of fast-food thefts, he gained nationwide media attention after he escaped prison and eluded the authorities for six months by secretly squatting in a Toys “R” Us store. Director Derek Cianfrance, inspired by his story, brings an embellished version of these events to the screen. What follows is less a true crime retelling than a surprisingly tender character study of a flawed but well-intended man.

Jeffery Manchester (Channing Tatum) is a good guy if you get to know him. He’s the first to admit that he was never the best at school – or behaving for that matter – but he has a good heart, children with his divorced wife that he cares deeply about and a unique “superpower.” His powerful attention to detail and routines allows him to notice what most others wouldn’t – and exploit them for his own purposes, as his friend Steve (LaKeith Stanfield) reminds him. Wanting to provide his children with a better childhood than his own, he turns to crime to raise money. He manages to buy a house and live well for a couple of years by stealing from fast-food chains until it all comes crashing down when police turn up to arrest him at his daughter’s birthday. 

Slapped with a lengthy sentence and cut off from his kids, he uses his talents to engineer a clever escape. Finding refuge in a secluded part of a Toys “R” Us, he takes an interest in Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), a single mother and employee at the store. Manchester takes on a fake name and, keeping his double life a secret, involves himself with Leigh’s life and family.
For a film so heavily marketed like a quirky 2000s slapstick Christmas comedy, “Roofman” provides a sadder, more endearing story than one would expect. It still has its comedic moments but the best aspects of this movie are Tatum’s charming performance and boundless chemistry with Kirsten Dunst; they’re like magic together. He’s a charismatic man you want to root for badly but have to reckon with the fact that he’s living an enormous lie of his own creation. He aches to genuinely do good by people but knows he can’t keep his baggage away from them forever. Dunst, herself a force, is completely convincing in her role – her eyes alone sell her as the overworked minimum-wage single mom who’s just trying to get by and do good in her local community. 

There’s a bounty of grounded performances to be had that complement our leads from an impressive supporting cast in small roles, including Peter Dinklage as the dismissive manager of the Toys “R” Us and Ben Mendelsohn as a cheery pastor at Leigh’s church. Also refreshing is how the film never attempts to justify Manchester’s criminal activities or bad choices but merely humanizes him and uses their consequences to move along the narrative. Though it’s a funny set of circumstances, the film is more interested in its characters and their struggles than basking in the bizarre events that turned this story into a headline. The ending plays out just about how you think it will but isn’t disappointing, and it reflects the real life ending of Manchester’s story.

“Roofman” may not become an Oscar contender but it’s sincere and natural in all the ways that it needs to be. The film isn’t trying to be more than it is and I believe that’ll help make it work for audiences. It’s a surprise crowd-pleaser that I think fewer people will have heard about due to its promotional material, which would be a real shame. 

For those looking for a pleasant, satisfying picture before the fall and winter seasons of films start to heat up, “Roofman” is a good choice.