Monday, 20 April 2026

VOD: Roofman (dir: Derek Cianfrance, 2025)

"He's a very smart individual.  Super-intelligent, probably.  But he's also an absolute idiot."

In this quirky and surprisingly gentle drama/comedy, based on real events, Channing Tatum plays Jeffrey Manchester, a nice-guy low-level criminal who escapes jail and lives surreptitiously in a Toys'R'Us store while laying low from the police, as he tries to win back his estranged family and unexpectedly falls for one of the store's employees.  The oft-underrated Channing Tatum here invests Jeffrey with a clumsy likeability that is impressive, Kirsten Dunst plays the church-going recently-divorced love interest with a delightfully understated dignity and openness and Peter Dinklage plays the spiky store manager precisely in a strong supporting role.  The film's gentle whimsical tone - largely driven by Tatum and Dunst pushing charm to the max together with a wonderful musical score by Christopher Bear - makes the film very appealing, and Roofman is a winning, warm and easy-going but very engaging watch.  Real-life photos and interviews play out as the end credits roll.
 

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