‘Roofman’ adds sentimentality to the true crime genre

With a modern trend of true crime stories — films, television shows, podcasts and more — sweeping entertainment, “Roofman,” released Oct. 10, stands out with its charm, sensitivity and grace. While most true crime stories glamorize the violence and trauma victims go through, “Roofman” ups the humor and heart, leaving the audience emotional and touched.

Based on an unbelievable true story, the film follows Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum), who begins the film robbing a McDonald’s to support his family by drilling holes into the ceiling, leading the police and the public to give him the nickname “Roofman.” After getting arrested early on into the film, he escapes by hiding underneath a prison bus. On the run, he ends up stumbling his way into a local strip mall where he finds a place to hide in the wall of a vacant Circuit City store located next to the Toys “R” Us. After falling for employee Leigh Wainscott (Kirsten Dunst) at the Toys “R” Us, Manchester decides to leave his hiding place and join her church, eventually starting a relationship with her. His life continuously unravels throughout the film, and watching Manchester make the choices he does is frustrating and stressful but ultimately rewarding.

Tatum gives the best performance of his career as Manchester. Selling his charisma to both the characters in the film, as well as the audience through his narration, it is impossible to not feel sympathy for his character; Manchester only chooses to rob the McDonald’s to support his family. While robbing the fast food chain, he would make the workers put their coats on and escort them to the freezer. In the opening scene of the film, he gives his own coat away to the manager as an act of kindness that is implied to be the reason he gets caught and arrested. Despite the crimes he commits, he is never violent or aggressive to anyone who hurts him.

After escaping prison and realizing he can never truly be with his family again, the film takes on a darker tone, with the film contrasting the loneliness and depression Manchester feels with the vibrant and colorful Toys “R” Us. When he begins a relationship with Wainscott, the kids’ store is shown less and less as he feels a human connection again. The audience only sees Manchester back in the Toys “R” Us when he feels hopeless and stuck, showing that the kids’ store becomes a metaphorical prison for him that he struggles to break out of, more than the actual prison he was in.

Dunst is at her most charming as Wainscott, with her and Tatum’s chemistry electric. A subtle performance, Dunst portrays internal conflicts with an ease that calms the entire film. The entire ensemble — including Peter Dinklage, LaKeith Stanfield, Ben Mendelsohn, Uzo Aduba and more — is phenomenal, with every actor having a moment to grab the viewers’ attention and make their presence memorable. 

“Roofman” is directed by Derek Cianfrance, known for his work on the film “Blue Valentine” and “The Place Beyond the Pines.” Despite not having directed a feature film in nearly ten years, his skills have not waned in the slightest. 

The film’s use of camera work is nothing short of extraordinary. Close-ups are used throughout the film to highlight the tension and stress Manchester is constantly feeling. The slow zoom-ins build intensity and intrigue, and the editing throughout is fluid and helps the film’s pacing. The grainy texture from the 35mm it was shot on helps create the 2000s setting and adds to the realism.

After getting arrested for the final time at the end of the film, Manchester accepts that prison is “where [he is] “supposed to be.” No longer having to hide, Manchester, while still missing his family, feels a sense of identity he missed throughout the film. The credits at the end of the film show real footage of the news discussing the events of the film, as well as interviews with the actual people a part of the real life story, adding a sense of closure and helping the audience remember that the film is based on real events. Overall, “Roofman” is one of the best films of the year so far, a hidden gem that stays with you long after the credits roll.