‘Roofman’: A Wild True Story with Heart Beneath the Heist - Review
Channing Tatum in ROOFMAN (Paramount Pictures)
We have come to my favorite time of year. Not only is it fall, but usually it is around this time that films come out that were not on the radar earlier in the year. That said, Roofman is one of the year’s biggest surprises, the kind of film that sneaks up on you with charm, humor, and a surprising amount of heart. On paper, it sounds almost too unbelievable to be true: a man who robs dozens of McDonald’s restaurants, then hides out inside a Toys “R” Us for months. Yet somehow, director Derek Cianfrance turns this outrageous story into something warm, funny, and oddly human.
At the center of it all is Channing Tatum, playing Jeffrey Manchester, a man both clever and naive, desperate and hopeful. Tatum completely disappears into the role, giving one of his most honest and grounded performances to date. He captures the strange duality of Manchester, a man who’s committing crimes but never feels malicious, someone who seems to be searching for belonging as much as escape. There’s something endearing about how Tatum plays him: a soft-spoken dreamer lost inside his own survival story.
What makes Roofman work is its balance. It’s a crime movie, but it’s not really about crime. It’s funny, but it’s not a straight comedy. It’s heartfelt, but it never leans into melodrama. The film exists in this perfect middle ground, where you’re laughing one minute and feeling unexpectedly emotional the next. There are moments that feel almost whimsical, Manchester skating down toy aisles or riding a bike through an empty store, and then moments of real introspection, where the loneliness of his situation sets in.
The direction keeps everything grounded. Instead of sensationalizing Manchester’s heists, the film treats them with a strange kind of empathy. We see his clever setups, but we also see the quiet moments in between, the boredom, the fear, and the small victories of a man trying to build a life inside a space meant for children. The Toys “R” Us setting becomes almost a character itself: bright, colorful, nostalgic, but also hollow and sad. It’s a place of innocence turned into a hiding spot, and that contrast gives the film its emotional weight.
The supporting performances also add plenty of texture. The characters around Manchester from the store employees he crosses paths with to the people who slowly begin to suspect something isn’t right all feel believable. There’s humor in their interactions, but there’s also compassion. The film never paints anyone as a villain. Even when Manchester’s actions catch up with him, it’s hard not to feel for him.
Tonally, Roofman walks a fine line, and for the most part, it nails it. There are a few pacing issues in the middle section where the story slows down (I mean that’s expected in a two hour plus runtime), but the emotional core never fades. Cianfrance’s direction keeps you invested, and Tatum’s performance carries the film through every shift in tone. It’s the kind of movie that could have easily become a one-note joke or a grim character study, but instead, it finds humanity in the absurd.
What stands out most about Roofman is its heart. Beneath the robberies and the eccentric behavior is a film about wanting to be seen, second chances and the quiet ache of loneliness. It’s a story about someone who does the wrong things for strangely understandable reasons. By the time the credits roll, you’re not just thinking about how wild the story is — you’re thinking about the person at the center of it.
Roofman manages to be both hilarious and deeply touching, full of moments that make you laugh and others that stay with you long after. It’s that rare true-story film that doesn’t just retell events but captures the soul behind them. Funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly moving, Roofman delivers one of Channing Tatum’s most charming performances and stands as one of the most unexpected feel-good movies of the year.
Grade: B+ / ★★★★☆
