by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
As the lights truly did begin to dim and I sat in my theater clutching my comically large bucket of popcorn, the opening text declared, “This is a true story,” and I had a decision to make. Whenever those words appear, any seasoned moviegoer’s next move is to grab the healthiest pinch of salt humanly possible. Sure, the claim may be technically accurate, but the movie’s job is to entertain, or otherwise ensnare its audience however it best sees fit.
It soon became clear that how Roofman felt the best way to go about that was leaning into the charm of its lead.
And I’ll be damned if it didn’t work.
Channing Tatum not only stars in, but also executive produces, the true-ish story of the thief known as the Roofman, who become famous for his knack for stealing from a certain golden-arched fast-food restaurant chain, before eventually getting caught, making his escape from prison, and having to lay low while avoiding the authorities. Since he’s not really that bad of a guy (despite the penchant for armed robbery), despite his better judgment, he just can’t help himself, and falls for someone who works at the Toys “R” Us he’s hiding out in — a single mom played by Kirsten Dunst (in her second straight film appearance playing a character whose name is pronounced “Lee.” What? I definitely wasn’t thinking about it multiple times in this, for some reason, longer than two-hour movie).
Tatum is just hard not to smile at. He’s very charming, and he’s laying it on thickly and effectively. You can’t help but be drawn in by the guy. In that way, it reminded me of a recent Robert Redford first watch I sought out after his passing, The Old Man and the Gun. The more I thought about it, the more apt the comparison felt. Both movies are based on a true story. Both criminals commit their thefts with a cheery disposition, leaving their victims with that as their biggest takeaway. Both have a penchant for making an escape (how Tatum’s Jeffrey Manchester had a knack for sensing patterns and flaws was something I really enjoyed, and frankly could have used more of). And both films succeed largely on the back of the charm offensive of their lead performer.
All of that distracts well enough from the little voice in your head that questions whether you should be enjoying this. Even in the end credits, the film itself is trying its best to remind you of this. As you’re bombarded with real-life clips and interviews from the people in the film, they give you that same feeling: “Boy, he really is just a nice guy who has an unfortunate penchant for breaking the law.” Never mind that anybody who thought otherwise was likely conveniently left out of the montage, and never mind that there is that one guy he pistol-whipped, he made sure those Mickey D employees he shut in the freezer had their coats on, goshdarnit! And he donated to the toy drive! Sure, there are moments when things get a little more serious, and while they don’t quite create a tonal whiplash, they do sort of break the spell the movie tries to place on you.
But it’s not a Tatum one-man show — I found the rest of the supporting cast delightful. I wasn’t quite sure the relationship with Dunst, and by extension her two daughters, was totally working on me, but in a choir scene at the end, the tug on my heartstrings worked pretty effectively. So I must have bought in on some level. Peter Dinklage as the Toys “R” Us store manager is an absolute delightful curmudgeon, and it is always fun to see Ben Mendelsohn in a cheerier role as the pastor of the church Manchester gets involved in. Despite some of the more serious moments not working for me, LaKeith Stanfield as Manchester’s Army pal, helping to facilitate his escape, did work for me. I got their relationship, and the reminders of what was at stake worked coming from him as a complicated voice of reason.
Overall, there are things in my heart of hearts, or perhaps more aptly, my brain of brains (if that’s even a thing), I know would bring things crashing down if I thought about them to analytically. There are some calendar conveniences that I’d bet my savings on aren’t accurate, but it makes for a better cinematic experience. Manchester himself is likely a much more complicated figure than what is portrayed. On the other hand, the message of forgiveness, and seeing the good in people that the real-life clips try to stress, is a worthwhile perspective, too; or maybe that’s just the film’s narrative perspective working its magic on me.
The real moral of the story? Tatum is lucky he’s one charming S.O.B.
Rating: Liked It
Roofman is currently playing in theaters
You can read more from Jake Bourgeois, and follow him on Bluesky and Letterboxd