moonspinner55

Channing Tatum is simply marvelous as real-life divorced dad and former Army Reserve sergeant Jeffrey Manchester who, in 1998 North Carolina, turned to crime after being discharged from the military. He robs a McDonald's after cutting through the roof (and politely herding three employees into the freezer, one of them wearing Jeffrey's jacket!), only to find the police in his driveway during his daughter's birthday party. You would think this guy couldn't catch a break, but Manchester is anything but hapless; possessing an ingenious knack for criminal mischief, Jeffrey concocts a foolproof plan for breaking out of prison. With time to spare before a buddy can arrange to get him out of the country, Jeffrey takes refuge inside a Toys "R" Us store, where his talent with electronics allows him to spy on the employees, a lovely working woman in particular. This plot wouldn't seem possible (or plausible) without nimble handling, but director/co-screenwriter Derek Cianfrance keeps us involved and enthralled from first scene to last. Of course, Jeffrey Manchester is no saint or hero--even if Channing Tatum breathes likability without effort. Cianfrance is likely cognizant of the fact his protagonist could come off as an irresponsible jerk (and there are a few occasions where a darker, more reckless side to Manchester come through); but Cianfrance also wisely keeps the mood light, and his film is wholly entertaining as a result. Tatum's superlative work is matched by the rest of the cast, especially Kirsten Dunst in the unadorned role of the church-going store employee with two daughters who isn't shy about inviting Tatum's Jeffrey home with her (and, after he charms all the ladies at a church singles mixer down at Red Lobster, can you blame her?). A little tightening here and there would have been welcomed, but overall "Roofman" is a winner. *** from ****

Stanley Tucci plays a risk management employee of a Wall Street investment bank who is let go from his position after 19 years on the eve of his discovery that the company's entire foundation is on shaky ground. He passes the information onto a young associate, played by Zachary Quinto, who completes the work and alerts the higher-ups, each of whom deal with the news in grave fashion. Well-acted dissertation of corporate ethics and responsibility has sinister, creepy-crawly underpinnings (and Jeremy Irons doing a Boris Karloff as the firm's CEO); it's also annoyingly vague and foul-mouthed. Writer-director J. C. Chandor keeps the narrative at a steady pitch of contained fear and, as an acting exercise for Kevin Spacey, Irons, Tucci, Quinto (who also co-produced) and Demi Moore, the film is certainly intriguing part of the way. *1/2 from ****

Stressful 11th episode from Season 4 has Doug feeling hapless when a wife-abuser he helped put in jail two years ago is freed on parole and terrorizes the Lawrence's (he chops up their rose bushes and spray paints 'sleep easy' on their garage door). Meanwhile, trouble at home has caused Buddy's friend Audrey to panic during a math test and cheat off of Buddy's paper--but the (rather melodramatic) teacher assumes it was Buddy doing the cheating since her test scores are generally lower. Paul Huson's script has strong scenes, but he failed to really pull this episode together. Beginning with a breakfast bit in the kitchen--wherein a boasting voiceover from Willie has us assuming Annie made the cereal they're all eating--we don't get dialogue, we get exposition (seems Buddy's teacher sprang this math test on the kids with only a week's warning!). Doug digs out his old gun from the Navy and takes a shooting lesson (at the police academy from "Charlie's Angels"!)--and, yes, he does get to use the firearm--but the parolee's motives aren't clear and they're not carried out logically. This smug psycho (played with a self-satisfied smile by Paul Shenar) shows up right on cue when Doug goes out to get the mail at night--and again in the morning sitting in his car out front. With a patrol car supposedly policing the neighborhood, one wonders not only where the cops are but how this nutcase manages to stay one step ahead of everybody. It's TV writing 101, meant to grab us by our base impulses, which the denouement (Doug and Kate celebrating with a $30 bottle of wine!) fails to counteract.