Joey Magidson
There’s an impressive mixture occurring within Roofman. Now, this is a very audience friendly crowdpleaser, overall. The thing is, there’s also a bittersweetness and melancholy that not every filmmaker would have allowed. However, in doing so, not only does Derek Cianfrance stay true to his roots, he makes an infinitely better movie out of the true story of Jeffrey Manchester than we otherwise would have gotten. In the end, it’s one of the standout titles of the Toronto International Film Festival this year.
Roofman is easily the most mainstream that Cianfrance has ever been, though anyone familiar with his work will notice the same strength of character on display. He’s fascinated by Jeffrey and, while never letting him off the hook for his actions, wants to explore the various facets of the man. It all adds up to a very satisfying cinematic experience.
Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum) is a veteran who can’t make ends meet, which has led to the break up of his family. Needing to provide for his children and unable to figure out honest means, he starts robbing McDonald’s restaurants, getting in through the roof and waiting to take the money once employees come in during the morning. Dubbed the Rooftop Robber, he’s known for being polite and never hurting anyone. Of course, he’s eventually caught and sentenced to major jail time. Incredibly observational by nature, Jeffrey breaks out, and needing somewhere to lay low for a while, he breaks into a Toys “R” Us, where he crafts a little makeshift hideout behind a wall.
As time passes and the manhunt ends, Jeffrey becomes invested in the store’s operations. There’s a mean boss (Peter Dinklage), sure, but one of the employees in Leigh (Kirsten Dunst) really captures his attention. Venturing out during the day, he eventually begins wooing her, starting to dream of a life with her. Of course, the more active in the community he gets, the bigger a risk of getting caught emerges.
Channing Tatum has rarely been more appealing than he is here. Tatum plays Jeffrey as a kind heart, even if he’s a very flawed man. The lack of maturity inherent in his situation is never ignored, even if you often understand where he’s coming from. Tatum plays him with a movie star’s charisma, of course, but also with a character actor’s heart. Kirsten Dunst also impresses in giving Leigh a huge internal life. You can see why she’d want to invest in this stranger, even if certain elements must seem like red flags. The supporting cast, in addition to Peter Dinklage, includes Uzo Aduba, Emory Cohen, Melonie Diaz, Ben Mendelsohn, Tony Revolori, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, Jimmy O. Yang, and more.
Co-writer/director Derek Cianfrance takes his character observation skills and moves it towards something more comedic here. The man behind Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines is just as adept at making us laugh as making us cry. The screenplay here he wrote with Kirt Gunn is rock solid, eventually as things move towards an obvious conclusion. Cianfrance’s direction is smooth and unfussy, leaning in to how compelling Channing Tatum is.
Roofman is a great showcase for Cianfrance and Tatum, much like the filmmaker was with Ryan Gosling years ago. Watching this pairing operate makes this gem just soar. This is one of the best titles at TIFF this year and an undisputed crowdpleaser that should find many an adoring audience later on thia year.
SCORE: ★★★1/2
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