Roofman - Review 

Rating: 4 out of 5

THE true story of army veteran turned serial thief Jeffrey Manchester is one of those that defies easy belief.

The father of three committed a spree of robberies through the late ’90s and early ’00s by digging into the roofs of over 40 McDonald’s restaurants (thereby earning him the nickname ‘Roofman’).

He went to prison, escaped by stowing under a truck, and then hid in a North Carolina Toys R Us store for months - during which time he embarked on a new relationship with a single mother, becoming something of a surrogate father to her two daughters.

Victims of Manchester’s crime spree spoke of his kindness when carrying out the robberies, while community members in North Carolina went to see him in prison.

This story forms the basis of Derek Cianfrance’s film, Roofman, starring Channing Tatum as Manchester.

A light, warm-hearted crime drama, the ensuing picture is a continually engaging affair that features a winning central performance from Tatum that exudes optimism, but which also contains subtle shades of desperation and despair.

His take on Manchester is very much a man who feels like an outsider, post military service, who is advised by a friend (Lakeith Stanfield) to make use of his heightened observational skills - but who turns to crime instead in a bid to provide a better future for his wife and children.

Once caught and harshly sentenced, he exhibits a determination to escape and become reunited with his children, only to realise the futility of attempting such a thing. Instead, he stays close and hides out in a Toys R Us, only to find himself drawn to the kindly charms of single mom Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), with whom he attempts to build an unlikely life.

But Manchester’s propensity for bad decision making when trying to impress invites risk, meaning that their ensuing relationship is ultimately doomed.

That being said, it is beautifully played by Tatum and Dunst, having been given plenty of room to grow by Cianfrance’s sensitive direction.

This may be a story driven by crime but the director - as he did with The Place Beyond The Pines - never loses sight of the characters or the emotional implications of living outside of the law. Tatum’s Manchester is painfully aware of his shortcomings, but seems singularly unable to stop himself from repeating the same mistakes.

There’s a tragedy to his performance that makes him all the more sympathetic and which enables audiences to see how a woman like Leigh could fall for him.

Leigh, herself, is also an engaging figure: a mother trying to do her best, yet struggling to fulfil all of her responsibilities. She becomes enamoured with Manchester’s energy and enthusiasm even though she suspects he’s trying too hard.

There’s something genuinely heartbreaking about her realisation of the truth and subsequent decision making.

In this regard, the way Cianfrance allows the relationship to grow and then dissipate is not dissimilar to the charm, excitement and sorrow that he injected into another of his films, Blue Valentine, especially during the early romantic scenes.

There’s strong support, too, from the likes of Peter Dinklage, as an unsympathetic Toys R Us boss, and Ben Mendelsohn, as the community pastor who also comes to befriend Manchester.

But this is first and foremost a two-hander that thrives on the chemistry between Tatum and Dunst. There are some decent ‘action’ sequences and a nifty prison break, while the mix between comedy and drama is nicely balanced… as is the very real feel that Cianfrance injects into proceedings.

As hard to believe and fanciful as some of Manchester’s story and exploits definitely are, Cianfrance never gets carried away with overly romanticising any of it, keeping things suitably grounded and therefore relatable.

The result is a fun yet moving experience that doesn’t exist to glamorise any of its criminal elements, but which does celebrate the power of love and belonging while enabling its central character to take responsibility for the consequences of his actions.

Certificate: 15

Running time: 2hrs 6mins