Roofman, directed by Derek Cianfrance, tells the true story of Jeffery Manchester. Manchester was a criminal in the late 1990s and early 2000s that made a name for himself by cutting holes in the roof of McDonald’s (hence “roofman”), and carrying out an armed robbery from within. What set him apart from other criminals is he would never actually hurt anyone, and he was always very kind. After carrying out more than 40 robberies between ‘98 and 2000, Manchester was caught and charged with armed robbery and kidnapping. This landed him a 45 year sentence in prison… which he escaped from after only 4 years. This film focuses on what he did while on the run after escaping from prison, and the very interesting story of how he stayed out of jail for more than 7 months after.

First and foremost, this movie brings Channing Tatum’s skills as an actor into the light in a way that hasn’t really been seen in any of his previous films. Because of the “based on a true story” aspect of this film, it has a very grounded and real aesthetic that allows some of Tatum’s dramatic acting to really shine. At its core, this movie is about love and the extent people would go to do things for people they care about. There are multiple moments in this film that go from bombastic and goofy (Tatum’s typical style), to a much more emotionally rich moment. Tatum’s performance not only allows you to sympathize with Manchester and his story, but fully root for him even in moments when you know what he’s doing is wrong. It’s hands-down the best showcase of what Tatum can bring to the screen, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this lands him lead roles in many more serious/indie films in the future.

The way this film was marketed would lead you to believe it’s a lot more of a comedy than it actually is. Everything from the poster, to the trailer, or even the fact that Channing Tatum’s the leading man, all seem to add to the fact that I (along with most people in my theater) was expecting it to be much more of a comedy than it was. Don’t get me wrong– this film was very funny, and had multiple laugh-out-loud moments, but it handled the story with much more care than expected. This is more of a drama than anything, and it takes advantage of the absurdity of this story its telling for some good funny moments, but if you’re going into this movie expecting a light fun comedic ride (like previous Tatum films) be prepared for a surprise. This movie will more likely have you on the edge of your seat, in suspense, and even in tears throughout its two hour runtime.

As I mentioned previously, this movie is very grounded, even when telling some of the more wild moments of Manchester’s life it stays rooted in the characters humanities and really feels at moments like watching the real story unfold. Part of this is due to the fantastic direction and screenplay by Derek Cianfrance, who is most notable for his movie Blue Valentine, a film that is widely recognized for its real gritty depiction of a failing relationship. Cianfrance has a unique directorial style that really focuses on the characters and letting them live in their scenes, so much so that Blue Valentine was heavily dependent on improvised scenes, where its leads would just be given a scenario and have to work through it on screen to show how real humans would interact with each other. While I doubt Roofman went that far, Cianfrance’s writing is still very grounded and natural, and he succeeds in continuing to bring character forward stories to the big screen.

The only negative moments in this movie came from a repetition of similar scenes. This movie takes place in only a couple settings and has a small cast. While this works for the secluded vibe of a man on the run, it leaves some of the scene set-ups and interactions feeling a little re-used and stale at times. This wasn’t a huge deal and didn’t distract from the story, but it could’ve been a little tighter of an edit to keep the momentum moving. 

Overall, this movie is a highlight from 2025 for me. Its truly human characters, goofy real-life stories, and emotional themes makes for a great cinematic journey. While there were some slow or repetitive moments throughout, the story this movie tells and the way it tells it is truly amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this film, and will continue to recommend it to others and I’d rate it a 4 out of 5!