By Kathryn Whitney Boole
FILM REVIEW
ROOFMAN
Rated R
125 Minutes
Released October 10th
Again, here is a movie that is marketed as a lighthearted comedic romp that is actually a Shakespearean tragicomedy, a contemporary Hamlet. The true story of convicted serial thief Jeffrey Manchester pulls you in, thanks to a deep dive by star Channing Tatum, a task with a degree of difficulty set by the fact that his character’s personality may not be relatable to most audience members.
There is not much background about Manchester’s upbringing, but that’s not necessary because Tatum has internalized the character so well. There are some incredibly colorful, detailed scenes illustrating the lighter side of the story that are being marketed to draw audiences.
The musical score by Christopher Bear is jazzy and intimate, emphasizing the humanity and intimate quality of the story. Production designer Inbal Weinberg accepted the challenge of recreating a 2004-era Toys “R” Us store from scratch. The filmmakers built the set using one of the brand’s long-closed stores and catalogs from that period to stock it with historical precision.
Manchester was born in Sacramento in 1971. The tale is about his period of hiding after breaking out of prison, where he was serving a sentence of 45 years for 45 robberies he had committed starting in 1998 to support his wife and three kids. He had served in the US Army, 82nd Airborne Division, where he learned rappelling, weapons handling, and other skills which he later appropriated to robbing fast-food restaurants, gaining access through the roofs -hence his nickname of “Roofman” in the press.
Prior to his criminal exploits, Manchester had been an employee at McDonald’s and knew their systems. He was meticulous in his planning and was known to be gentle and respectful to his victims. Manchester’s training as a soldier to live off the land for long periods of time also helped him evade capture.
Many veterans who are now homeless use those habits and skills. Our military personnel are trained to break in, hide out, and use stealth to minimize their footprint. Manchester was caught, convicted, and sent to prison, where he masterfully planned an elaborate breakout in 2004, and set up secret living quarters in a Charlotte, NC area Toys “R” Us, surviving on sodas and bags of snack food. He mapped out a safe exit route from the store after hours, and gradually became a valued member of the community, started dating a woman named Leigh Wainscott, joined her church, and became a surrogate Dad to her two kids.
To many, he may seem to have two divergent personalities, but I believe it’s more complex than that. It may be that we all have some “Manchester” in us. I worked with a young woman many years ago who had a lively personality and was financially able to buy anything she desired, but she suffered from a compulsion to steal from any store she walked into. She had developed a highly skilled method – eventually, she was caught. My knowledge of her tactics aided me in catching shoplifters when I was managing retail stores years later.
Tatum has become a brilliant actor. His acting career took off in 2012 with his “Magic Mike” roles through his self-taught skill as a freestyle dancer. He has worked in videos and on film since 2000, and his resume lists over 65 films. Tatum did not have an easy childhood. Diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD, his parents got him enrolled in sports to use his energy positively. He won a full football scholarship to a college but dropped out and found work as a construction worker, a mortgage broker, a model, a stripper, and at the cologne counter at Dillard’s department store.
Tatum’s “Manchester” is fun, imaginative, highly resourceful, loving, and innately giving. But he is an addict to a type of behavior many will have a hard time relating to. In the movie, Manchester says, “I was never really good at life…But I was good at seeing things. Details. Systems and routines.” Director Derek Cianfrance had Tatum in mind as he was writing the script, and it’s easy to understand why.
Cianfrance has made some of the most profound and innovative films of the last 25 years, including Blue Valentine (2010) and The Sound of Metal (2019). This is his 5th feature. As a writer/director, he always reaches way below the surface of his subjects. Fun fact – he was once a checker at Walmart, so he innately understands the world of this film. He marketed the story to studios as a Frank Capra-type film like It’s a Wonderful Life (1946).
He likes to create environments where his actors can absorb their surroundings and have “accidents.” As he puts it, “You have to have a lot of will to put something that doesn’t exist into the world, and that no one is asking for.” Regarding the style of the film, Cianfrance notes, “With this movie, I thought I could flip the coin in the air so you would see comedy and tragedy both spinning at the same time.”
The ensemble that Cianfrance and casting director Bonnie Timmerman have brought together to surround Tatum in this film is extraordinary and all give great performances, especially Kirsten Dunst as “Leigh,” Lakeith Stanfield as Manchester’s fellow vet, “Steve,” Juno Temple as “Michelle,” and Uzo Aduba as “Eileen,” Peter Dinklage is hilarious and spot-on as store manager “Mitch.”
The end scene of the film is very close to reality. Cianfrance says, “The real Leigh met the mistakes that Jeff had made, and she looked upon the pain that he had caused with an equal amount of forgiveness and grace. So that became the North Star of the movie.” When he spoke with Leigh, she described Manchester as the “great adventure of her life,” and had no ill will toward him. Tatum and Cianfrance visited Manchester in prison and had a long, deep conversation.
Tatum asked him what he would do when he gets out. Manchester replied, “I don’t know if they’ll ever let me…But I would love to adopt, and I would love to have a second chance at being a father and not screwing it up this time.” The director notes that the story is still being written between Manchester and his now grown-up daughter. Tatum said that he hopes Manchester gets a chance to see the movie somehow. I hope that all voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences get a chance to see it as well.
Kathryn Whitney Boole has spent most of her life in the entertainment industry, which has been the backdrop for remarkable adventures with extraordinary people. She is a Talent Manager with Studio Talent Group in Santa Monica. kboole@gmail.com
