'Roofman' Is a Charming Step Above
Director Derek Cianfrance abandons his usual films about despair for something lighter but honest. Roofman isn't the typical darkly uplifting tale of a thief who finds a way past the system. Cianfrance tells the story of a criminal who can't escape their problems, nor find redemption for their misdeeds. Jeffrey Manchester is about the most wholesome criminal you'll likely see. He's as sweet as cherry pie, who happens to also rob lots of establishments. It's not just so he can get rich by not working, but also to help support his family.
If Roofman were like most movies, Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum) would have a family who'd still love him. Not even halfway through the picture, they completely reject him. For what he does, he's a pariah to his ex-wife. Jeffrey originally had a stable relationship with his daughter, but his insatiable need to rob severed that connection. Instead of trying to win them back throughout the movie, Jeffrey finds a new family. For a man who does what he does, personal connections might not be a possibility for Jeff.
Jeffrey doesn't steal because he's trying to hurt people. He's just someone who doesn't know how to effectively tap into his brain's potential. Jeff can calculate schematics like he's Rain Man, yet he's got mental deficits that prevent him from excelling in a professional field. Jeff's not a victim of a neglectful childhood. He's just another guy with talents, but lacks the mental capacity to utilize them for financially viable purposes. It's a romanticization of the criminal, similar to Ocean's Eleven, but without the Hollywood charm.
Channing Tatum is the perfect cast as Jeffrey Manchester (based on a true story you can Google). Tatum's a hunk. He is Magic Mike, after all. Yet he doesn't exude the type of manly swagger George Clooney or Brad Pitt have. Tatum is more like a gentle giant. He could throw down, but is peaceful. There's a childlike innocence in Tatum's delivery that's rare and works for a character like this to be believable. Playing in unison with Tatum's charisma is Kirsten Dunst as Jeffrey's girlfriend, Leigh Wainscott. Dunst plays one of the most believably charming Southern girls I've seen on screen in a while. Leigh is in a lot of pain, but she finds peace through her local church, which keeps it from consuming her.
Contrary to one's religious beliefs, the insertion of God in this story is one more about community and inclusion than it is about tribalism. There's a small degree of hypocrisy that's addressed in the community when one character, during a local church dinner, brings up how children are starving across the globe while they are comfortably eating. We care, but we only give so much within our cocoons. As nice as Jeffrey is, he's also prioritizing his own social circle when robbing local businesses. What about the lives of those who need that money? Or what will happen to their jobs once they're security is breached? Jeffrey doesn't get off scot-free in this film. We're merely waiting for his Heisenberg moment when his cover is blown.
When you live a life of crime, you inevitably hurt other people. Whether it be Jeff's ex-wife or girlfriend, there are repercussions for not playing by society's rules. It's refreshing to see a film that doesn't shy away from the realities of relationships. Also, for a nostalgia piece, it ain't bad.
Many movies set in the early 2000s need to remind the audience of the era they're set in. By shooting on 35mm film, the movie naturally looks like it's one of the last celluloid films of its era. The color tones are even, and the film really looks like an old-school film without calling attention to itself. The movie takes place in the early 2000s, when Toys R Us and Blockbuster Video still existed, but the film isn't about the era. It's simply about criminals who aren't bad people who do bad things.
The film is a dramedy that's a throwback to the romcoms of an older period, which we don't see much of anymore. A good 15-20 minutes could have been cut from the picture, although I respect how it uses that time to build its characters. It might be through conventional means with a standard look and premise, yet there's something much deeper and more honest with Roofman than your typical romcom. Roofman is about the little men and women trying to make ends meet every day, and how their kindness means more than anything in the world.
