Roofman (3 stars out of 4)
There are two things that make “Roofman” work where it otherwise wouldn’t.
The first is casting Channing Tatum in the lead role. Tatum’s inherent likability goes a long way toward reconciling an uncomfortable character.
The second is that “Roofman” is based on a true story. As a work of fiction, audiences would be uncomfortable with incoherence and mixed messaging. But as a “true” story, “Roofman” simply exists as another example of how truth is often stranger than fiction.
Derek Cianfrance’s film is the story of an escaped criminal who holes up in a Toys ‘R Us for several months. Tatum plays Jeffrey Manchester, a veteran who just can’t seem to fit into normal society. Determined to find a way to provide for his young family, he parlays his military background into a string of armed robberies around Charlotte, North Carolina, until he inevitably winds up in prison. Then he uses the same skills to break out, and to shack up in a local toy store while he plans his next move.
The premise is pretty absurd on its face, but Cianfrance walks us through the process in a way that makes the situation look reasonable. Jeffrey has a fellow veteran buddy (LaKeith Stanfield) who has taken up a side business doctoring up phony papers for shady clients in need, so the fugitive–known in the media as “the roof man” for his habit of accessing his targets through the roof–just has to find a way to survive until he can punch his ticket out of the country.
In the meantime, Jeffrey stumbles into a relationship with one of the stores employees, a recently divorced mother of two named Leigh (Kirsten Dunst). The process here is one of the more interesting aspects of the film, as rather than hide in the store 24/7, “Roofman” explains how Jeffrey is able to venture out into the community once the news cycle passes, joining Leigh’s church and morphing into a surrogate father for her daughters.
Again, this is where “Roofman’s” real-life roots become vital. This is another of those stories where one character is hiding something awful from their significant other, and it’s only a matter of time before the truth emerges. Cianfrance’s script and Tatum’s performance go to great lengths to suggest Jeffrey is really a good person deep down–and some archival news clips over the closing credits suggest there might be some truth to that idea–but it’s still jarring to reconcile the character’s domestic aspirations with his criminal realities.
That juxtaposition makes “Roofrman” engaging, while at the same time you can never quite embrace the predicament. As much as you might sympathize with Jeffrey, it’s impossible to not feel more for Leigh and her kids. There are also some odd plot holes, including the lack of explanation for how Jeffrey is able to carry on at the store after a close call with its manager (Peter Dinklage) leads to increased security measures.
The sum total is an amusing and bewildering story that is bittersweet at best, and maybe that’s what the filmmakers are hoping for.
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“Roofman” is rated R for scattered profanity, some sexual content, an extended scene of comic nudity, and brief violence.