[Rating: Solid Rock Fist Up]
Sometimes the best “based on a true story”-type movies sound like they were dreamed up by a drunk screenwriter hoping he’s the only one with access to the internet. Roofman is one of those movies. It’s a movie that seems just too silly and stupid to have actually happened.
Watch the trailer. It looks like a Channing Tatum movie. That’s the beauty of this flick.
Based on the almost unbelievable exploits of some dude named Jeff Buckley, an ex-convict who famously broke into fast-food joints through the roof to rob them (and later became something of a folk hero). Without ruining the movie, he gets caught, escapes, live in a Toys R Us and falls in love.
I know what you’re thinking. Sounds crazy, right? Kinda dumb? When are they making Dune 3? I get it. But, this movie manages to turn a bizarre crime story into a surprisingly warm redemption tale. It’s so simple at its core that it probably shouldn’t work, but it does thanks to a humble and charming performance from Tatum.
Ah, good ol’ Channing Tatum, star of the Jump Street movies and of course, Magic Mike, however many of those there were. Here he plays Buckley with the right mix of self unaware swagger and self-loathing, screw-it charm — and it could very well be one of his best dramatic performances to date. He brings empathy to a guy who probably doesn’t feel like he deserves it — and somehow makes you root for him anyway. A running bit in the movie is just how Jeff really was just a good dude, really nice, etc. It pays off during the end credits. Stick around.
Academy Award nominee Kirsten Dunst (Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3) plays the assistant manager of the aforementioned Toys R Us and matches him note for note as a guarded but curious love interest with a family. Her chemistry with Tatum isn’t romantic so much as redemptive; two people drawn together by the idea that one wild mistake doesn’t define a life. LaKeith Stanfield and Peter Dinklage add just the right spark to the supporting cast.
Director Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) may have been the perfect choice for this material. He knows how to find humor and humanity in tabloid-level chaos. His visual style lets the absurdity breathe while still taking the characters seriously. Gillespie keeps the pace brisk, layering the narrative with just enough irony to keep things light without mocking the truth.
The movie plays it safe. Some essential characters seemingly disappear from the narrative when it seems like they’d be the driving force behind the lead character’s motivations. But safe is safe and despite it’s flaws, it just works. By the end, Roofman earns its feel-good status honestly. The final act doesn’t drown in sentimentality or irony; it simply lets redemption happen in small, believable steps. It’s wild, funny, and improbably touching — a reminder that truth really can be stranger (and kinder) than fiction.
Roofman is a wild, hard-to-believe true story told with style, humor, and heart. Tatum and Dunst shine in roles that balance absurdity with sincerity and the tone effortlessly human. It’s proof that even the most unbelievable real stories can still leave you feeling good.
Lover of movies and tacos. Ad man. Author. Member of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle and the Broadcast Film Critics Association. Founder of the Terror on the Plains Horror Festival. Creator and voice of the Reel Hooligans podcast.
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