Roofman
October 24th, 2025
MOVIE: ROOFMAN
STARRING: CHANNING TATUM, KIRSTEN DUNST, LAKEITH STANFIELD, PETER DINKLAGE
DIRECTED BY: DEREK CIANFRANCE
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 3 ½ STARS (Out of 4)
RATED: R
RUN TIME: 126 MINUTES
Roofman tells a true story- and it is unmistakably a Derek Cianfrance film. The director of A Place Beyond the Pines, Blue Valentine, and The Light Between Oceans doesn’t just tell stories about people; he studies them. Cianfrance’s naturalistic approach makes his work feel honest and deeply human, capturing the messiness and beauty of real life. Roofman is almost too wild to believe, yet every bit of it is true. Cianfrance brings his raw, empathetic touch to a fantastic story about a man who just can’t get out of his own way.
We meet Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum) as he breaks into a McDonald’s through the roof. Wearing a mask to hide his identity, he’s remarkably polite- asking employees to step into the walk-in freezer and even letting them grab their coats before locking them in. He robs the safe, not for greed but to provide for his daughter and twin boys. Eventually, he’s caught and sentenced to more than 30 years in prison…until he escapes, clinging to the axle of a delivery truck. A statewide manhunt follows, but Manchester finds refuge behind a wall inside a Toys “R” Us, where he secretly builds a life for himself: sleeping on an air mattress, bathing in sinks, disabling security cameras, and finding an odd sense of peace in his toy-store hideout.
Of course, living in a toy store can’t last forever. The story shifts as Jeffrey ventures into town, forming relationships with Toys “R” Us employee Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), her two children, the local pastor (Ben Mendelsohn), and unknowingly antagonizing manager Mitch (Peter Dinklage). For a while, Jeffrey manages to live the lie. Cianfrance and co-writer Kirt Gunn structure the film in three acts: Manchester’s early descent into crime with ex-military friend Steve (LaKeith Stanfield), his fugitive life on the run, and his eventual recapture. Whether any prison can truly contain him is another question. Throughout, it’s hard to shake the fact that this story actually happened.
The film’s greatest triumph isn’t its outrageous plot but the combination of Cianfrance’s direction, Dunst’s quietly powerful performance, and Tatum’s fully committed turn. Tatum transforms physically and emotionally, his gaunt frame and easy charisma making Jeffrey believable as both criminal and charmer. Dunst embodies the weary strength of a single mother, grounding the story with warmth and authenticity. Cianfrance’s signature fly-on-the-wall style captures every raw, human moment.
If Roofman stumbles anywhere, it’s in its tonal balancing act. The story’s absurd humor sometimes clashes with Cianfrance’s documentary realism. Still, this is an extraordinary true story, told with empathy and insight. It sparks conversations about prison reform, brushes against true-crime fascination, and reminds us of the flawed, hopeful humanity we rarely see in modern cinema.
Raise the roof for Roofman.
3 ½ STARS
ROOFMAN IS CURRENTLY PLAYING IN SELECT THEATERS.
Written by: Leo Brady
