Roofman is one of those movies that I have not seen a ton of promotion for. I vaguely remember seeing a trailer for this at a movie I saw over the summer, but apart from that, nothing! I actually forgot all about it, but I was looking for something new to watch at my theatre and this was the only thing that I had not seen. Hey, it had Channing Tatum (Bullet Train, Magic Mike’s Last Dance, Deadpool & Wolverine) in it, and I remembered the trailer looking kind of fun, so I thought, what the hell, and went to see it.
Where to Watch Roofman
Roofman was released on October 10, 2025. You can expect to be able to stream the film from Paramount+ several months after its thearrical release date.
The Movie Review
Let me tell you right off the bat, I loved this! I had pretty much no expectations for this, but I thought that it was awesome and a whole lot of fun. This is actually based on the true story of Jeffrey Manchester, who was a former soldier who used his skills to commit a series of robberies in the 90s. The twist here, Jeffrey was a nice guy and would be pleasant and try not to use any violence when committing his robberies.
Channing Tatum as the Likable Criminal
Channing Tatum plays the role of Jeffrey, and he is just so damn likable and charming. Jeffrey eventually gets caught, but while in prison, he bides his time and uses his skills to escape! I have to say, this movie opens with a bang, and you like Jeffrey right from the start, and even though he is a criminal, you cannot help but root for this guy.
Life After Prison: Hiding in Plain Sight
Once he has executed his escape plan, Jeffrey hitchhikes and eventually finds himself in Charlotte, where he ends up hiding in a Toys R Us. This is awesome! He makes himself a little hideout spot, and at night, he screws around in the store and pretty much lives off candy. However, he meets and ends up having a relationship with one of the employees, a woman called Leigh, played by Kirsten Dunst.
The Human Side of Roofman
As well as loving Channing Tatum, it is so easy to like Leigh as well. She is a hardworking single mom, and you just want her to be ok. Jeffrey assumes a new name and identity and actually becomes part of the community and starts dating Leigh, even becoming part of her kids’ lives. Oh, we also have a fun role for Peter Dinklage, who is the manager of the Toys R Us store that Jeffrey is hiding out in.
An Emotional and Surprising True Crime Film
I got really invested in this story, and while I was pretty sure that it would not have a super happy ending, I was all in until the end. Perhaps the best compliment that I can give the movie is that it made me want to take an interest in what really happened. Sure, they had to change a few things, but I think for the most part, they did a good job of retelling this interesting story.
Will Roofman Become a Sleeper Hit?
While I liked the movie, the most surprising aspect of it was how, in my theatre for a mid-week, afternoon showing, there was a decent number of people in there. This is a movie that I think will do pretty well, as so far, everyone I know who has seen it has liked it. So word of mouth could be what makes this movie a success. If you are looking for something fun to watch, I highly recommend making the effort to go and see this if it is still on at your local movie theatre.
