Roofman
Based on the marketing for Roofman, you’d think Derek Cianfrance had gone soft.
The writer/director of such soul-crushing dramas as Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond the Pines, and The Light Between Oceans seems like an odd fit for a fact-based story about a kindly escaped con who hides out in a Toys “R” Us — especially one that's made to look like a quirky comedy. And while laughs abound in Cianfrance’s latest feature, there's a strong undercurrent of melancholy and tragedy that puts it firmly in line with his heart-wrenching previous work.
The honest drama stems from Army veteran Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum) — who earned the titular nickname by cutting through the roofs of numerous Charlotte-area McDonald's overnight, startling the morning crew, and making off with the safe’s contents without harming anyone — and his inability to fully reintegrate into society without risk of getting caught.
Unable to see his three children, he's also limited in how close he can get with new love interest Leigh (Kirsten Dunst, solid yet again) and her two girls, all of whom remain blissfully unaware of his true identity and past while his internal clock ticks down on this false second chance.
It's a painful situation and Tatum excels at conveying the heartbreak of Jeff’s reality. The actor has been very good in many films since turning a corner in 21 Jump Street (2012), but he's never been asked to shoulder so much emotional weight in a leading role and it's wonderful watching him ace the assignment.
True to its publicity campaign, Roofman isn’t all trials and tribulations. Though not nearly as goofy (or good) as Tatum's prior Queen City crime/comedy, Logan Lucky, Round Two nevertheless milks quality laughs from Jeff's quick-witted ways, as well as the juxtapositions that arise from his considerate approach to criminal activity.
Cianfrance shoots it all through his usual fuss-free directorial style, which here borders on anonymous, but it's through the similarly unadorned performances that he leaves his mark.
As such, he renews his membership in the gradually shrinking ranks of filmmakers who broke through circa 2006-10 and have yet to produce a misfire. The way he's going, he's likely to be a lifelong member.
Grade: B-plus. Rated R. Now playing at AMC River Hills 10, Carolina Cinemark, and Regal Biltmore Grande.
(Photo: Davi Russo)
