TL;DR – A slow meditation on isolation and despair when who you are is not who the world wants.  

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid-credit sequence.

Disclosure – I paid to watch this film.

Roofman Review Introduction –

Today, we are looking at a sort of odd film as we wrap up 2025. Going into Roofman, all the marketing implied that this was a quirky, fun romp of shenanigans. To be fair, there is some of that there. However, the film we got is very different from the one that was marketed.

So, to set the scene, in 1998, Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum) made a living by breaking into McDonald’s via the roof. He felt it was the only way he could provide for his family after leaving the military. After being arrested, he is sent away for 45 years, but the same skills that allowed him to rob the burger places allowed him to escape prison. Prison plans and a truck trip later and he was a ‘free’ man, but with everyone looking for an escaped prisoner, Jeffery had only one place to hide, in a Toys R Us store.

Cast

In what is quite an emotionally complex film, you must have a cast that can rise to this occasion. On that front, I think Channing Tatum was an interesting yet correct choice as the lead. You need someone who is inherently charismatic, or this would have come off as creepy, really fast. However, the role also required someone who could bring emotional depth to their performance. Kirsten Dunst brings the right energy as a single mother trying to find herself, who is falling in love with man she believes is a ‘non-gay government spy’. Peter Dinklage is a total ass in this film, but he also reminded me of at least one retail manager I used to have. Also, Ben Mendelsohn is here as a wonderfully pleasant yet just a smidge manipulative church pastor, which is far away from what I have seen him before. That depth is what keeps these characters feeling like real people rather than caricatures.

Production

There is a melancholy to the musical score, more saxophone and piano, which does fit the vibe and gives you the range to hit the other emotional notes throughout. They also perfectly nail the nostalgia of the time, having the store be a Toys R Us was the perfect setting because it allowed you to fill every inch of the frame with period-appropriate bric-à-brac. One thing I really appreciated was the kinetic energy in the cinematography at times. It helps that Channing has the physicality to pull those moments off. But it would not work nearly as well without the commitment of the camera operator to get into the weeds with him.      

“I Don’t Think it is Funny, I Think it is Sad”

One of the major issues I think people had with the film is that they thought it was going to be mostly zany with a touch of drama, when it turned out to be primarily a drama with a touch of zaniness. I liked where we landed with the overall tone, because I think it told a better story. Jeffrey Manchester is someone who I believe has earned a sympathetic, if still not a condoning lens. A lot of countries use up their military personnel, spit them out, and then let them fend for themselves. I found it to be an understanding portrayal of a deeply complicated person who can be generally considered nice, even though he caused so much harm.     

Recommendation

In the end, do we recommend Roofman? I think if you go into this with the right mindset as to what sort of movie it is, then you will have a good time with it. It’s not all pomp and circumstance; it’s more of a slow cello recital. I think if you like good character pieces, then this will be a film you will like.  

Have you watched Roofman? Let us know what you thought in the comments below. If you liked Roofman, we would recommend Holy Cow to you because it is also another slow yet slightly comedic meditation on the meaning of caring for dependents in a complicated world.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Bluesky at @Tldrmovrev, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

Feel free to share this review on social media and check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 

Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Roofman
Directed by – Derek Cianfrance
Screenplay by – Derek Cianfrance & Kirt Gunn
Music by – Christopher Bear
Cinematography by – Andrij Parekh
Edited by – Jim Helton & Ron Patane
Production/Distribution Companies – VVS Films, FilmNation Entertainment, High Frequency Entertainment, Hunting Lane, 51 Entertainment, Limelight & Paramount Pictures
Starring – Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, Ben Mendelsohn, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, Melonie Diaz, Uzo Aduba, Lily Collias, Jimmy O. Yang, Emory Cohen, Molly Price, Tony Revolori & Peter Dinklage
With – Kennedy Moyer, Alissa Marie Pearson, Kathryn Stamas, Punkie Johnson, Charles Cummings, Katherine Scheimreif, Leigh Moore, Ron Smith & Chris Kimbell
Rating – Australia: M; Canada: 14A; Germany: 12; New Zealand: M; United Kingdom: 15; United States: R