Roofman

7.0/10 (Recommend)

I have been looking forward to this one since I've seen the trailer, and honestly I was not disappointed. While the pacing is a little slow, and in the second half things seem to drag slightly, it's still an enjoyable story. Despite the slightly slow pacing it doesn't feel like you're watching a movie. The way scenes are captured it feels like you're part of the action, or at the very least a fly on the wall.

Channing Tatum is a lot of fun in the role of Jeffery Manchester, and the chemistry him and Kirsten Dunst have is satisfying. Sure he's a criminal and she's just an oblivious single mother, but they feel natural together and you can't help but cheer for a positive outcome.

The film isn't overly funny, but it has some funny bits where you can at least chuckle. The vibe is that this is a slightly more serious, "emotional" film than it is a comedy. And it may look like a family movie, but be mindful that there are a few n-words thrown around, a sex scene or two, and a brief nip slip. Oh no, not a nip slip, you say. Well, some may be concerned with the content they take in or what their kids or teens watch so I mention it.

Overall, this is definitely a film to see in theatres even. The true story and the Hollywood story may be overdramatized, but this story will definitely entertain. While the pacing is a little slow, the story pulls you in and makes you feel like you're part of the adventure. Channing is fun, Kirsten is loveable, and you just want to see the bad guy succeed because he lures you in perfectly.

That's it for now. Thanks for taking time to read my review. Happy watching and enjoy the show!

I've been anticipating this film for a long time and I heard rumors it would be playing for the mystery movie and I knew I had to get my tickets immediately. This film is so emotional and i truly didn't expect this film to get me near tears at the end of the movie. I think the story here was absolutely brilliant and I couldn't believe this was based on a true story as it seemed too insane to be real but it's actually a true story which blew me away. The writing here is great and there's some beautiful chemistry between Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst in this film and they portray such an intriguing couple with the challenges Jeffrey has gone through and what he's hiding from her. Channing Tatum is phenomenal and honestly may have delivered one of his best performances I've ever seen. Kirsten Dunst also has an incredible performance and really portrays such an interesting character here and I just started to feel bad for her character in this movie. This couple dynamic gets so sad near the end of the film and it almost had me crying due to how emotional this films gets and the depressing thing that happens at the end. There's also a beautiful blend of comedy which had me absolutely dying and Tatum delivers some hilarious scenes especially one with him and Mitch played by Peter Dinklage. I don't have a whole lot of complaints for this movie but sometimes near the second half of the film it definitely does slow down quite a lot and some scenes drag on just a little longer than they should be. I just really enjoy this film and there's not a whole lot of complaints for it and I'm definitely recommending this film for sure to people and this is definitely worth checking out.

The movie has a lot to offer. Channing Tatum makes a fantastic and charming lead, and his acting his top-notch on several occassions. His reaction when he gets sentenced to 45-years in jail is impressive, with the tears welling up in his eyes ... The movie is based on a criminal who commits robberies. A common issue with these sort movies is that the protagonist doesn't come off as likable. But that's not the case at all here ... The most fun parts of the movie are clearly the opening and finale. Those parts focus on his criminal exploits, which are so paradoxly simple yet ingenious. If the movie weren't based on a true story, I would have called it unbelievable that someone could escape from prison and hide at a Toys R' Us in the manner depicted in the movie

The movie has a nice soundtrack. There's some elegant cinematography, such as one scene involving a Christmas balloon near the end. There is a late-1990s to mid-2000s vibe in the movie: you might nostaglia over seeing pay-phones, Toys R' Us, Blockbuster, and 1990s-style baggy pants.

The movie isn't perfect. The big flaw is that the blending of the genres isn't always done so smoothly . It's a crime movie at its core, but the movie also becomes part-comedy, part-romance, and part-family drama. Infact, the latter 2 - the romance and family drama - get so serious. Those parts become awkward contrast with the scattered comedy.

Related to that criticism, I have to admit that I didn't completely enjoy the middle portions, which focus on Tatum + Kirsten Dunst's romance as well as the domestic situation involving Kirsten Dunst's daughters. Though Tatum and Dunst have good chemistry, the movie basically becomes a straight Lifetime-ish romantic drama for a bit; and I found myself yawning

8.0/10.

Trailers can show too much and sometimes show too little. The trailer for this film shows you just the right amount. It is a true story, so people can cheat and look up the story of Roofman aka Jeffrey Manchester. But I do not suggest this if you intend to see the movie. I went in clueless, except for the very entertaining, neat and tidy trailer. I am glad I took this approach. I enjoyed letting the story unfold. I enjoyed the tension not knowing what will happen to Jeffrey. I enjoyed this film very, very much.

My enjoyment of the film begins with a fantastic performance from Channing Tatum as Manchester. Jefferey Manchester is a family man at heart, a man who is on the outs with that family. He has been unsuccessful at keeping a job. He is an ex-soldier, and veterans sometimes have difficult assimilating back into society. His friend Steve (LaKeith Stanfield) is not helpful. He is, let's just say, a bit shady. The advice he gives Jeffrey is equally shady. Will Jeffrey listen to Steve?

If you see the trailer, you know that Jeffrey aka Roofman ends up spending some time in a Toys R Us (the last store went out of business in 2017, but the film is set between 1998 and 2004 - which is why we also see Blockbuster Video stores). You also know from the trailer that Peter Dinklage is in it (as store manager Mitch), and that the movie also features Kirsten Dunst (as Toys R Us employee Leigh Wainscott). Adding to this strong veteran cast is Ben Mendelsohn as Pastor Ron, and Uzo Aduba as his wife and co-pastor Eileen. Throw in Juno Temple for good measure as Steve's main squeeze and "business" partner, and you will look forward to seeing all these fine actors do some of their best work.

Full disclosure; do not expect the movie to be summarized by that trailer. Oh, it is entertaining enough, but it is also much more potent emotionally than I was prepared for by seeing that trailer. Which is good thing. This movie has a wonderful depth to it that was a surprise to me. A pleasant surprise. There is already some buzz about it slipping into The Golden Globe slate of nominations, and depending on what happens there it could have further representation in other award shows. This could provide yet one more surprise.

What I most admired about this film was the restraint. Small town America, a story told perfectly. No hyperbole, very little moralising and a great deal of fun, particularly showcasing the hero's gymnastic abilities. But he was a low key hero, just working to solve everyday problems, how to find food, where to sleep. Two believable children, Kirsten Dunst putting in a good performance. Somebody worked hard on this script, the pastor and his wife providing an excellent comedy routine, Ben Mendelssohn in particular was excellent. Even the accomplice spoke perfectly believable commonsense, saying to the hero (I am paraphrasing) your practical skills are good but you are weak on the emotional level.