Channing Tatum reconnects with his inner child – and criminal – in this kooky dramedy based on one of the strangest cases of all time – a man, Jeffrey Manchester, who lived in a Toys R Us for six months to evade authorities. For Derek Cianfrance, whose previous works include Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines, this seems like somewhat of an unusual story to tell, and an even more unusual genre to tell it in – this is a man who has pulled at the most sensitive of heartstrings after all. And yet, watching Roofman, starring Tatum and Kirsten Dunst as his love interest, there is this distinct blue, slightly melancholic air to it that makes perfect sense in the most beautiful of ways.
When his friend Steve (LaKeith Stanfield) points out his observation skills, Jeffrey Manchester has a lightbulb moment. A divorced US Army veteran, he is struggling to provide for his three children and make a good life for himself. His only option, then, seems to be to become an outlaw, which is how he ends up robbing a series of McDonald’s restaurants, politely asking employees to put on a coat before locking them in the refrigerator. Despite his evident talent for criminal activity however, Jeffrey winds himself up in prison where, on his best behaviour, he calmly begins to plot his escape. Successful, he ends up in a Toys R Us for the night, where he decides to set up camp while waiting for Steve to provide him with a fake passport. But a one-man band can only take you so far – on the floor of Toys R Us is employee Leigh (Dunst), a single mother that Jeffrey takes an interest in, and for which he will take extreme risks to spend time with.
It is a joy to watch Tatum exude childish glee in this drama turned comedy – whether he is wheeling around on Heelys at night or gorging himself on chocolate in his makeshift nook hidden in plain sight (behind a massive advertising board), there is a real sense of delight that never fails to entertain. If anything, it’s almost a shame that these are largely filler scenes, a quick joke, before Cianfrance returns to focus on Jeffrey’s double life with Leigh. Undercover as “John” however, a government worker who must be very secretive about his job and address, there is also a slight silliness that somewhat makes up for it – it quickly becomes clear that living in a Toys R Us is perfect for rediscovering your inner child, something that according to Cianfrance in his interview for Sight & Sound was something both Tatum and the real Manchester were allowed to do. Indirectly, Jeffrey brings Leigh and her daughters along for the ride, ingraining a real joie de vivre back into their lives. As Leigh, Dunst is stern yet gentle, with a motherly gaze and forthcomingness that makes her character particularly endearing. Their relationship is the real heart of the movie here, filled with generosity and care – not once is there the feeling that Jeffrey is taking advantage, or biding his time. His investment and love for her is what makes Roofman that little bit more tragic. A supporting cast sees Peter Dinklage as Mitch, the hostile Toys R Us general manager, and Ben Mendelsohn and Uzo Aduba as the pastor and his wife, as criminally underused as Stanfield in the role of Steve. While there is such a focus on Jeff, even Leigh feels a little underdeveloped, a mere plot point to serve his journey to freedom. There is a lot of potential for Roofman, notably its heart and Channing’s natural talent for comedy and improvisation – but the issue is that its main strength is the absurdity of the story upon which it is based. Once the novelty of that has worn off, there is very little meat left to work with.
Roofman screened at the London Film Festival.
