#TIFF25: “ROOFMAN” REVIEW

By Nicholas Porteous

In Derek Cianfrance‘s Roofman, the nicest robber you’ve ever met (Channing Tatum), makes a temporary home inside a Toys R Us, and manages to fall for one of the employees (Kirsten Dunst). How will he juggle a growing relationship with a single mom and avoid getting caught in her place of work? If you find the premise unbelievable, you’re wrong. It’s a true story.

Roofman is a joyfully unexpected genre hybrid. It’s a romcom about two divorcees starting over, it’s a true crime story about a one-of-a-kind criminal, and it’s a Mrs. Doubtfire-esque thriller, where the tension around Dunst discovering Tatum’s true identity grows as their relationship–and his relationship with her family–deepens. Tatum, as Jeffrey Manchester, is one of the most entertaining characters in recent memory. He’s so resourceful, so endlessly sharp and inventive, and it’s a pleasure to watch him outsmart virtually every situation he’s thrown into. It’s impossible not to root for the guy with his back quite literally against the wall, and to wonder where he’s going next, or how he can possibly reconcile his criminal status with his deep-rooted family man instincts. He’s also wonderfully goofy. Cianfrance, known for his dark and tragic lead male characters, has found a comic muse in Manchester, who also fits perfectly into his filmic lineage of complex and often contradictory personalities.

The ensemble is absolutely stacked. Peter Dinklage is a standout as an insufferable Toys R Us manager. Ben Mendelsohn is unexpectedly wholesome as the local church pastor. LaKeith Stanfield, Uzo Aduba, and Juno Temple all turn in memorable work. Kirsten Dunst brings warmth and dimension to Leigh Wainscott that feels all her own. She deserves a bit more development in the screenplay, but the chemistry between Dunst and Tatum largely fills in any gaps.

Roofman succeeds as a comedy, a romance, a moving story of found family, and an unpredictable crime saga. It’s a brilliant and surprising genre mashup for Cianfrance, and a worthy addition to your list of must-sees at this year’s Festival.

Roofman screens at TIFF ’25:

Sun. Sept 7 at 10:00 AM at Roy Thomson Hall

Fri. Sept 12 at 3:00 PM at TIFF Lightbox

Sat. Sept 13 at 9:20 PM at Scotiabank Theatre

Sun. Sept. 14 at 9:15 AM at Scotiabank Theatre