Cast: Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, Ben Mendelsohn, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, Peter Dinklage
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Rating: ★★★.5
roofer comes as an unexpected entry in the filmography of Derek Cianfrance – a filmmaker known for brutal romance and moral uneasiness – taking inspiration from a true-crime strangeness that feels almost fantastical. Set in the mid-2000s, the film follows Manchester (Channing Tatum), a father struggling to re-enter civilian life after military service. Endowed with almost obsessive powers of observation, he applies that skill to a series of carefully planned, non-violent robberies, entering fast-food restaurants through their rooftops and treating the staff with disarming courtesy.
When he is finally captured and given a long prison sentence, the Manchester engineer musters the courage to escape and disappears – not to another city, but into the hidden vaults of a Toys “R” Us store. From there, he secretly observes the life below, forming routines, engagements and eventually a risky romance under a false identity.
Good
Derek looks at the material with surprising tenderness. Rather than sensationalize crimes, Roofman is interested in loneliness – the pain of seeing a normal life seem out of reach. Channing delivers one of his most restrained performances, abandoning the arrogance for vulnerability. His Manchester is soft-spoken, polite and clearly weakened by the difference between good intentions and bad decisions. This role reminds of his work foxcatcherBut with more warmth and sadness.
Kirsten Dunst is the film’s quiet anchor. As Lei, a divorced single mother who works at a toy store, she brings realism and emotional intelligence by disappearing into the role with ease. Their chemistry feels unexpected, rooted in shared exhaustion rather than cinematic sparks. Strong support comes from LaKeith Stanfield as Manchester’s morally inflexible friend, Peter Dinklage as a stern store manager, and Juno Temple who adds volatile energy on the margins.
Christopher Bear’s score and the film’s deliberately old-school aesthetic give Ruffman the texture of a mid-budget studio drama from another era — modest, honest, and mildly nostalgic.
bad
For all its sympathy, roofer Sometimes one is too eager to make one’s hero lovable. The film traces Manchester’s rise to crime, weaving psychological complexity into a streamlined emotional arc. His actions – repeated robberies, lies, and accidental damage – never seem as disturbing as they should be. As tensions rise and consequences emerge, the film’s emphasis on gentleness dulls its dramatic stakes. Visually, the film can feel slow to the point of dullness, and the romance sometimes slips into familiar beats without adding much specificity.
Decision
roofer is a funny, honest crowd-pleaser – sentimental but not cynical, humane but sometimes evasive. This may reduce true moral conflict, but it compensates with warmth, strong performances, and old-fashioned faith in character rather than showmanship. You may question its empathy, but it’s hard not to feel its cool pull.
Roofman will start streaming in India on Lionsgate Play from December 19th