Movie Review: Roofman

The Freaking Film Fanatic with Nathan Unck

Roofman     Rated: R for language, violence, sexual situations and nudity

    I remember a few years back about a man who escaped from prison and lived in a Toys "R" Us store for six months. I found that story fun, but I forgot about it over the years. Roofman is the "Based on a True Story" movie about Jefferey Manchester. While some exciting parts of the story are left out, probably for a shorter runtime, which is already two hours and six minutes long. What we do have is a drama about a man who is nice and kind but makes really bad life choices to support his kind behavior. Channing Tatum played this character really well.

    The film opens up telling us that Jeffery was a very skilled Marine, especially for noticing details that most people overlook. Roofman is a reference to Jeffery who would sneak up on roofs of McDonalds restaurants, cut a hole in the roof and ceiling, wait for the morning crew to come in, and would drop down with an unloaded shotgun and kindly ask the workers to put their coats on, and get in the walk-in freezer, steal the money from the registers and safes, and once he had escaped, would call the police from a payphone and let them know the restaurant was robbed and the crew were in the freezer. He did this at least 45 times. 

    After getting caught, he was serving 45 years in prison, but successfully escapes, and after a very close call, ducks into a Toys "R" Us store and found a place in the store to hide out.  These two elements are in the trailers. The film takes it's time to tell the story, and you really do come to care for, and even root for, Jeffery, especially when he meets and falls in love with a divorced woman, played by Kirsten Dunst, who is involved in her church and has two daughters. That's all I'm going to say about the plot.

    There was so much to like in this film, and yet there were a couple of disappointing things that kept this movie from being great. First off, there was a character that used the "F" word, and hardly anyone else does, which begs the question, why did it need to be there in the first place. Number two, There was a funny, but sort of uncomfortable scene where Channing Tatum is completely naked, and runs into some trouble almost getting caught. The scene was fun, but it was thirty seconds long, which was a little uncomfortable, although I did tease my wife telling her that it was her favorite part, to which she rolled her eyes.

    Another aspect that might harm the film a little bit is that the trailers and posters make the film seem like it was going to be a laugh out loud comedy, when it is actually a drama with some funny elements. The film is still a lot of fun, but it can be deceiving. If you go in understanding that it is a drama with some funny scenes, then I think you will have a good time.

As I said, it's kind of disappointing that they went for an R rated film because I think there is a valuable lesson for kids and teenagers. It doesn't matter how smart you are, if you make bad decisions, you will have to eventually face the consequences of those bad choices. Beyond that, Roofman is an interesting dramatic look with some funny elements.

Roofman rated: R for language, violence, sexual situations and nudity.