In Roofman, a charismatic criminal on the run from the police adopts a new identity and begins an unlikely and risky romance. Source: Australian Catholics.
Based on the true story of Jeffrey Manchester, who is still serving time in prison, doing duties as a librarian and not to be released until 2036, this film tells the story of a generally good guy who makes some bad choices.
Post-divorce, post-leaving the army and increasingly economically insecure, Manchester only wants to provide for his wife and three children.
The film documents the downward spiral and unravelling of his social life, his original family “moving on” and the way he manages to survive even while being on America’s Most Wanted List. This disconnection is a minor but important thread as it comments on what can happen to veterans when their later life doesn’t live up to expectations.
What gives this story its differentiation factor is that Manchester (Tatum) hid out in the roofs of places such as McDonalds, Burger King and Toys’R’Us, managing to elude local police across six states. Such was his notoriety he was nicknamed the “roofman”.
The first half of the film sees him living in a Toys’R’Us store in Charlotte, North Carolina, and using toddler surveillance to see what is happening during the day as he lies low
While viewing the staff during the day, he notices Leigh Wainscott (Dunst), a recently single mother of two children who maintains her composure even when her mean manager Mitch (Dinklage) refuses her not unreasonable request for fewer hours so that she can care for her family.
Later, romance blossoms between Leigh and Jeffrey. He tries hard, almost too hard, to win over her daughters. He starts going to church with the family and is welcomed by the community. Jeffrey is charming and caring, while living this double-life of deception.
However, Manchester has to keep lying about what he does and where he lives and old habits die hard.
This is a crime story with moments of comedy and pathos. I left the viewing feeling that the main character was a good guy misdirected and certainly the real-life footage at the end of the film attests to this.
Review by Ann Rennie, Jesuit Media.
Roofman: Starring Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, Juno Temple, Peter Dinklage, LaKeith Stanfield, Ben Mendelsohn, Uzo Aduba, Lily Collias. Director: Derek Cianfrance. M (nudity), 125 minutes.
FULL REVIEW
Roofman (Australian Catholics)
