ROOFMAN (2025)

Based on actual events that took place within the life of charming army veteran and struggling father, Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum), who, as a result of an ongoing series of poor choices in trying to provide for his family becomes known as the ‘Roofman’ (or ‘Rooftop Robber’) after breaking into a string of closed restaurants and shops during the night via self-made roof access and then holding them up the following morning.

It is widely believed that during this robbery spree Manchester broke into and robbed 40 to 60 different locations (a lot of them being McDonald’s locations as he had noted security weaknesses during his time working for one prior) by dropping through the roof and then lying in wait to surprise staff and commit his robbery. Afterwards, locking the staff into the walk-in freezer before calling the authorities to notify them of the robbery so they could release the captive workers while making his getaway.

It’s widely believed that Manchester’s motivation in committing the robberies was falling through the cracks of the system after leaving the military and simply not having the right tools and supports to be able to provide a good quality of life for his daughter and family – which is likely why he believed in still being cordial and polite to the staff on duty during his robberies – many of whom reported that beyond being armed he had been kind to them by suggesting and waiting for staff to get their jackets (and giving one staffer his own who didn’t bring one) before closing them into the freezer so they wouldn’t be too cold.

After 2 years of such robberies, Manchester was eventually apprehended in 2000 in the state of North Carolina and was sentenced to 45 years in prison.

Roofman (2025) largely follows the period of time 4 years following his capture wherein he once again identifies and leverages weaknesses within security systems at to escape his imprisonment at Brown Creek Correctional Institution to Charlotte, NC – hiding (and building a makeshift ‘in plain sight’ hideout) in the local Toys’R’Us to wait out the authorities searching for him.

Observing the store’s manager, Mitch (Peter Dinklage), and his managerial style in poorly treating his staff from his hiding place – including Leigh Wainscott (Kirsten Dunst) – Manchester, from social-isolation and believing his previous life to be over, starts making bad decisions all over again – led by his developing feelings for Wainscott.

This onscreen blossoming relationship between Manchester and Wainscott, despite the viewer’s knowledge of what will be its eventual heart-wrenching collapse, is intense to observe with Oscar-nominated Dunst beautifully performing opposite Tatum in telling their love story.

With just as equally noteworthy performances pulled from LaKeith Stanfield (Steve) and Juno Temple (Michelle), who provide guidance and support in Manchester’s longer term escape plans, Roofman (2025), directed by Derek Cianfrance, is definitely a based-on-real-events biographical story that really makes you care, feel, laugh along with, and root for a man seemingly just trying to do his best in the ways he knows how – but also analyze the unfolding circumstances of Manchester’s life from the simple desire to care for and provide for those he loves – even if stemming from his own terrible decisions.