ROOFMAN -- Charming Tatum

Review by Adam Donato

Derek Cianfrance hasn’t directed a movie in almost a decade. He did see critical success since then with Sound of Metal. Roofman is marketed like it's his most accessible movie to date. Channing Tatum is leading a goofy crime thriller wherein he has a romance with Kirsten Dunst. Not quite as depressing as Blue Valentine. Tatum has had his ups and down lately, but all his interview questions are about his involvement in Avengers: Doomsday. Dunst works sparingly but her last two films, The Power of the Dog and Civil War, were both successful. Roofman opens on a crowded weekend, but can good word of mouth cut out a good piece of the box office pie?

Roofman thrives on the charm of Channing Tatum. Now he’s not doing anything crazy new here. It’s pretty standard Channing Tatum here, but this movie plays to his strengths and he’s surrounded by other talented people. He’s still got the Magic Mike sex appeal and is able to joke around a bunch. The emotional crux of the film is his desire to be a good person, despite feeling desperate enough to break the law to solve his problems on a regular basis. This is one of Tatum’s better performances of his career. 

Kirsten Dunst is regularly working with talented directors and hitting her spots well. She doesn’t get the fanfare, but she’s one of the best actresses working today. Her pairing with Tatum is a curious one, but they pull it off well. Their relationship is the heart of the film. This is Dunst at her most relatable in a long time. The rest of the supporting cast is good with Ben Mendelsohn shining in his musical moments as this church pastor.

This is a true story so the narrative is somewhat predictable. That being said, the inevitability of the situation makes it all the more tragic. His pathetic circumstance contrasts well with the plastic prison he now finds himself in. The idea of an immature man hiding out in place with a slogan about not wanting to grow up is compelling. 

Roofman is the best version of this type of movie. It won’t be getting any nominations, but it’s certainly worth catching in a theater. Tatum has it and excels here along with Dunst. Cianfrance has his best chance for a commercial hit with this one here. Will be a crowd pleaser if it’s lucky enough to garner a crowd. 

Roofman is in theaters on October 10.

Rating: 4/5