The official trailer has been released for Roofman, a Channing Tatum-starring crime drama based on the absurd-yet-true story of a man who once evaded capture by living undetected inside a Toys ‘R’ Us. You can watch the trailer above and learn more below.
A True Crime Tale with a Twisted Charm
Tatum stars as Jeffrey “Roofman” Manchester, a former Army Ranger and escaped convict who embarks on a string of late-night robberies by cutting through the roofs of over 60 McDonald’s. On the run from law enforcement, he hides out—quite literally—within the walls of a toy store.
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The trailer introduces a lonely man navigating a double life, slipping in and out of public view while trying to maintain his secret existence. Things become complicated when he falls for Leigh Wainscott, a divorced mother played by Kirsten Dunst, whose ties to law enforcement threaten to expose his ruse.
It’s a strange, darkly comic setup, marking a lighter, more comedic departure from director Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond the Pines).
Tatum on the Pressure of Portraying a Real Person
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Tatum spoke about the unique pressure of portraying Jeffrey Manchester. “It’s impossible to tell someone’s real life story in 90 minutes,” he said. “I’ve only played two other real people in my life, and it’s not very comfortable. I feel a lot of pressure. It gets muddy.” Tatum played wrestler Mark Schultz in Foxcatcher and bank robber Pretty Boy Floyd in Public Enemies.
Tatum hasn’t met Manchester in person, but he’s had lengthy phone conversations with him. “I really hope Jeff likes the movie,” Tatum said. “He’s made some bad decisions in his life. That is a fact. But he is probably the first one to tell you that. But I just find him such a beautiful and unfortunate soul. It breaks my heart; he’s so smart and alive, even on a phone call.”
The production involved many real figures from Manchester’s life, including the preacher and even the man who drove the truck in his prison escape. “When you’re around some of these real people, all of a sudden it makes it very, very real. It puts pressure on you to pay attention,” Tatum noted.
As for working with Cianfrance, Tatum said, “Derek came into my life at a very interesting point where I’d reached a different place in my craft. I don’t think I’ve been given the opportunity to do work like this. I’ve never been pushed as hard as Derek pushed me.”
“We made a deal in the beginning that there was no unsafe place,” he continued. “We would do a take as it was written; we’d do a take that was silent; we would do a take like Jerry Lewis. We went all over the map and there was no wrong. That created a place of real vulnerability.”
Cast and Release Date
The ensemble cast includes Ben Mendelsohn, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, Peter Dinklage, Melonie Diaz, Uzo Aduba, and Jimmy O. Yang. The script was co-written by Cianfrance and Kirt Gunn, with Tatum and Cianfrance also serving as executive producers.
Roofman opens in U.S. cinemas on October 10 and Australian cinemas on October 16.
