Roofman: Channing Tatum Shines As Notorious McDonald’s Robber Jeffrey Manchester

A small movie coming to cinemas is crime comedy-drama Roofman which was directed and co-written by Derek Cianfrance. The true story of Jeffrey Manchester, a former US Army Reserve officer who turned to crime, promises to be compelling viewing.

Down on his luck and divorced from his wife with three children, he asked a friend – “how many McDonalds stores do I have to rob to buy a house”?

And so commenced his career in criminal activities, robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting through their roofs, until law enforcers caught up with him. He was convicted 45 years for armed robbery and kidnapping.

He escaped prison, took refuge in plain sight in a Toys R Us store for months and under a false identity met another family who he genuinely fell in love with.

But could Manchester stay in hiding long enough for the world to forget who he was? Would his new family ultimately discover the identity of this man whom they had all grown to love?

This film depicts how a ‘nice guy’ who traditionally did things the lawful way became a criminal. Even his victims who he locked away whilst robbing the restaurants remarked that Manchester was a really nice guy. Many others also stated that he was genius but an idiot.

In Hollywood the silent rule for movie stars is, ‘three flops and you’re forgotten!’ Channing Tatum who’s in desperate need for a hit after his past few films have faltered at the box office (notably Fly Me To The Moon which was a monumental flop) has chosen a script that may rekindle his popularity amongst moviegoers.

Tatum must be praised for his portrayal of Manchester – the bad guy with a huge heart – as he perfectly balances comedy and drama bringing a brilliant mix of humour and heart to his performance, making it both laugh-out-loud funny and deeply moving.

Kirsten Dunst plays the role of his love interest, an employee of Toys R Us who has a key storyline twist in the finale. Her performance was engaging and added depth to the story. Also keep an eye out for the barely recognisable Aussie actor Ben Mendelsohn in the supporting role of a pastor.

The true-life story of Jeffrey Manchester may not have had any comical elements but for the sake of art and entertainment the inclusion of humour in the story profoundly elevates the narrative from a true crime story to a more appealing, fun-filled and enjoyable feature film that should be suitable for all audiences.

***1/2

In Cinemas October 16