"Roofman" Trailer: Channing Tatum Hides Out in a Toys “R” Us as a Peanut M&M-Loving Fugitive in Derek Cianfrance’s Offbeat Crime Comedy with Kirsten Dunst and Peter Dinklage
Based on the bizarre true story of Jeffrey “Rooftop Robber” Manchester with Tatum starring as a charming crook with a conscience.
The idea of a thief with a heart of gold has long been a favorite storytelling trope, as it taps into our fascination with outlaws who defy the rules but still follow their own moral compass. There’s just something about a criminal who steals, yet stops short of using violence. A crook with a conscience. It’s a fascinating paradox: a character who can use their brilliance to serve themselves, yet still chooses to draw a line they won’t cross.
Now imagine an escaped convict hiding out in a local toy store, yet still holding onto enough principles to help out the community. It’s the perfect setup for a redemption story wrapped in charm, a sprinkle of mischief, and anchored by the hope that even the most unlikely people can do the right thing when the moment calls for it.
And add this: It’s based on a stranger-than-fiction true story and stars Channing Tatum, and now you’ve got our full attention. So, here... watch the first official trailer for Roofman, a new offbeat crime comedy about a fugitive living inside a Toys “R” Us for months without tipping off the employees who worked there.
In addition, this upcoming film is directed and co-written by Derek Cianfrance, the acclaimed filmmaker behind Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines, marking his first feature since 2016’s The Light Between Oceans. Albeit, he did previously write and direct the 2020 HBO miniseries I Know This Much Is True, featuring Mark Ruffalo in a dual role as troubled twins.
But with Roofman, Cianfrance appears to be tackling a lighter subject, as his previous works have commonly centered on darker, emotionally dreary stories. It’s good to see him stepping outside his usual territory and embracing something with a bit more levity.
Here, Tatum takes on the role of Jeffrey Manchester, a real-life former Army Ranger who in the early 2000s became known as “the Rooftop Robber” (Roofman for short) for a robbing spree that frequently involved hitting fast food restaurants by drilling a hole in the roof and breaking into the establishments that way.
“I was never very good at life,” Tatum narrates in the trailer. “Kind of like I was not good at hurting people. But I was good at seeing things. Details. Systems and routines.”
It appears Jeffrey Manchester is a criminal who would rather stay out of the spotlight and avoid drawing too much attention to himself. He had the perfect plan: break out of prison and find a place to lay low until the authorities called off the manhunt. It would only be a couple of months.
So what would make a great hideaway where he could live unnoticed? Jeffrey chose a big-box store location: Toys “R” Us in Charlotte, North Carolina. And there he stayed for six months, merely living off peanut M&Ms and other snack foods he found in the store.
To make the story a little weirder than it already is, he would steal toys just to donate them to a local church toy drive, eventually striking up a romantic relationship with a local woman while posing as a government agent on a highly classified assignment.
In the film, Kirsten Dunst plays the woman who ends up falling for Tatum’s character, while Peter Dinklage co-stars as the Toys “R” Us general manager who keeps wondering why the store’s peanut M&Ms are constantly gone all the time.
Also co-starring LaKeith Stanfield, Ben Mendelsohn, Juno Temple, Melonie Diaz, and Uzo Aduba, Roofman is slated to open in theaters October 10th.
Dare we say, the film just might have enough charm to steal a few hearts... perhaps even emerge as a sleeper hit this fall. Mayhaps? We’ll be waiting to see how it all turns out.
Official Synopsis:
How far would you go to change who you are?
Based on an unbelievable true story, Roofman follows Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum), a former Army Ranger and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname: Roofman. After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys “R” Us for six months, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), a divorced mom drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.