Reviewed By: Flickman
I remember hearing about the “Roofman” back in 2000, but I didn’t know much about the story. After watching the movie, I found it to be quite interesting. I am not sure how much of it is actually true, but typically, a film will say “Based on a true story.” This one, however, stated very clearly, “This is a true story.”
The movie is listed as a comedy, and while there are some funny parts, I would describe it more as a drama with some romance and a bit of humor sprinkled in. Most of the comedy sparks from the silly, idiotic moments, along with the dialogue.
If you are unfamiliar with the story, it follows Jeffery Manchester, played by Channing Tatum, who goes on a crime spree by breaking into several McDonald’s restaurants through the roof. He waits for the restaurant to open, then locks the employees in the cooler so he can take the money from the safe. Eventually, he gets caught and sent to prison. Later, he escapes and hides inside a Toys R’ Us for months. During that time, he begins a relationship while keeping his true identity secret.
It is worth noting that Manchester was always polite during his robberies. Before locking the employees in the cooler, he made sure they had jackets to keep warm. Throughout the film, it is clear that Manchester was a genuinely kind person who liked making others happy by giving gifts and doing thoughtful things.
With that said, I really enjoyed watching the film. I was expecting more of a comedy, but I was fine with the amount that was there. The entire cast did a great job in their roles. As a Peter Dinklage fan, I enjoyed seeing him as Mitch, the Toys R Us manager. His character is rude and unpleasant toward the staff, but when he gets robbed or sees the “naked man,” he runs and hides like a scared little coward. It was pretty amusing. I couldn’t help but laugh when the die pack blew up in his face.
I originally thought this film was going be more about Jeff robbing the restaurants, but I was completely wrong. It’s mainly about him hiding inside the Toys R’ Us while building his relationship with Leigh, played by Kirsten Dunst. This wasn’t a bad thing though, I was just kind of hoping to see more comedic robberies going south.
By the end of the movie, I was hoping that Jeff, also known as John, would escape to another country, since that was his plan from the start, but I knew that was not going to happen. It became predictable once you got to know his character. Still, I liked the ending even though I found myself rooting for the bad guy to get away. If you ask me, he should never have answered the phone.
Overall, I would say this movie is definitely worth watching. Not just to see Channing Tatum play a somewhat dimwit criminal, but for the story itself, which is both entertaining and oddly heartwarming.
Overall Verdict: Expect more of a drama/romance but stay for the comedy. If you like Channing Tatum, you'll enjoy this film.
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