Intelligent but broke, ex-soldier/convict Jeffrey Manchester finds breaking into McDonald’s restaurants easy—until he meets single mother Leigh Wainscott, and his life gets complicated again.
Roofman is one of those true stories that if Hollywood had made it up, it would be considered far too audacious to be true. However it’s a very real tale that happened to some very real people at the hands of an apparently charming thief; who is now due for release in December 2036. Starring the ever cool Channing Tatum as ex-US military soldier Jeffrey Manchester, a married father struggling to provide the best life for his three young children. So he does what he eventually realises he can do best… which is enter McDonald’s restaurants through their roofs. One by one, actually 45 of them to be precise, under the cover of darkness, forcibly yet now infamously and politely hold up the staff for the safe’s contents the following morning.
Directed by Derek Cianfrance who is best known for his emotionally sombre yet beautifully crafted Blue Valentine, comes a tale of hope and of heartbreak as the age old tale of the boy girl ‘meet cute’ and the ‘will they or won’t they?’ but against a backdrop of thievery and terror. Also starring Kirsten Dunst as Leigh Wainscott, the main cast is quite compact though well thought out so as not to dilute the whole point of the tale. With LaKeith Stanfield as Steve, Jeffrey’s instigator and far behind the scenes accomplice and girlfriend Michelle, played by Juno Temple, our focus is mainly on Jeffrey and Leigh as they struggle through the financial day to day life and trying to provide for their children.
Created mainly as a ‘dramedy’, Roofman is a well thought out film that concentrates on our protagonist, as he endeavours to lie low after swiftly and quite cleverly breaking out of a local prison. Avoiding any further restaurant break-ins, Jeffrey hides almost in plain sight for quite some time in a nearby Toys “R” Us until the heat is off creating a light hearted comedy which shows, in the best way, how much of a child he was out of the public eye amongst the free warehouse toys. Playing God with Leigh’s Christmas rota to help her through the yuletide period, director Cianfrance does his best to show Jeffrey in his best light; which is pretty easy with Channing’s naturally boyish charm.
On the surface Roofman is the story of a thief who steals from the rich McDonalds to give to his own poor family. With an A-list cast, it is of course so much more than that. It is a well acted almost ‘fly on the wall’ look at the slippery slope a person can find themselves on, after landing on the wrong side of the law. Putting the multitude of holdups aside this film concentrates more on the central relationship than the money aspect. Cianfrance this time sees this world as challenging yet joyful rather than desperate and potentially dull, and this is where Channing and Kirsten light up the silver screen. Their chemistry is great playing two ordinary people, just doing their best to get through this thing called life.
With the last two additional supporting cast we have the thoroughly reprehensible Mitch, Leigh’s manager played by Peter Dinklage who does his best to be unlikable within the first fews minutes of his screen time. And local pastor Ron Smith, with Ben Mendelsohn playing against type . This film does not require the large screen to pull you in, it doesn’t have an amazing soundtrack (although still good) … or thrilling explosions or car chases. What it does have, is heart… beautifully conveyed by two seasoned actors in Channing and Kirsten.
At just over two hours, Roofman is arguably a little too long, yet the additional time does seem to add emotional depth giving us something to sink our teeth into. The film is not heavily edited for story speed and so gives us time with our main characters as they weave their small town tale in and out of the grip of the law. Stay to the end credits as we are witness to the local news footage of Jeffrey’s apparent kindness by those witnesses filmed at the time. What may strike you is the use of the same name our robber shares with the animated Geofrey the Giraffe Christmas advert, who was well known all those years ago in the lead up to the big day. Although this is just a bizarre coincidence that makes real life sometimes even more strange.
The real Jeffrey is currently serving 45 years in a California prison, possibly one year for every one of his restaurant break-ins. A likeable felon in a well written story.
Author: Piers, Maidstone Store
