As is the case with many films ripped from the headlines, truth is often stranger than fiction.
The latest example is “Roofman,” which dramatizes events in 2004 when a prison inmate escaped the penitentiary and hid for several months in a Charlotte Toys “R” Us.” We’re introduced to that inmate, Jeffrey (Channing Tatum), during his original crime spree.
Desperate for money, Jeffery’s scheme was breaking in to fast-food restaurants from the roof before grabbing the cash and making his getaway. After his prison escape, the film follows how he befriended those around him when not in the toy store, and started a relationship with an employee, Leigh (Kirsten Dunst).
“Roofman” is what I like to call a “shoe drop” movie, because that’s more or less what an audience is waiting to see happen. This is a flick where a viewer knows the other shoe, at some point, has to inevitably drop, when the big secret or ruse will be revealed. What makes or breaks these movies is usually all that happens in between.
In the case of “Roofman,” the results are mixed. When the movie works, it works quite well. There are moments of exploring Jeffrey’s relationship with Leigh that resonate, and scenes where he’s pulling off his heist moves to stay hidden entertain. There are enough of these moments in the two-hour runtime that make it compelling overall.
One of the driving factors with this is Tatum’s performance. He has shown in the past an ability to portray characters who have a heart of gold, but are in a rough patch, gotten too deep in a problem, or just have a bit of a rogue side. This has been seen with 2012’s “Magic Mike,” 2017’s “Logan Lucky” and 2022’s “Dog.”
It’s true again here, as Tatum captures his character’s conflicting nature. Jeffrey is, in the end, a problematic person. His pull toward criminal activity, from escaping prison to his acts of robbery and manipulation are all present.
Yet at the same time, he has no interest in hurting any individual, he shows genuine care to those he’s close to, and is overall a charming person with a tendency to end up on bad paths. Tatum captures all of this, making for a good protagonist. It definitely works in the film’s favor.
What doesn’t work in the film’s favor are the moments where it leans too far into comedy. This is a dramedy with a wild scenario, so there’s definitely some natural laughs to be had. However, there are moments that felt punched up, and it came across like the picture is trying too hard to be extra funny.
This is especially true with many scenes featuring Mitch, the Toys “R” Us general manager played by Peter Dinklage. The rest of the supporting characters are fine, though. Dunst is impressive as a single mother who’s balancing her relationship with Jeffrey while also looking out for her daughters. Ben Mendelsohn and LaKeith Stanfield round out the cast nicely, too.
“Roofman” is a bit too long, stretching its two hour-plus runtime about as much as it can, and some reliance on underwhelming comedy ends up being a detriment. However, Tatum’s performance, the outrageous nature of the true story itself, well-shot recreations of Jeffrey’s activities and some effective emotional moments make this one work for a matinee watch. 3.5 out of 5.
Matthew Liedke on Film 