aLiving in a store is so hot right now. First the doc on the secret mall apartment (titled Secret Mall Apartment, natch), now Roofman. Based on a true story, Roofman stars Channing Tatum as an escaped convict who goes all Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on a Toys-R-Us after busting out of the slammer. Through the store’s surveillance cameras, he falls in love with Kirsten Dunst. Because, really, who wouldn’t? As with many con-with-a-heart-of-gold stories, Tatum’s titular Roofman is torn between a life of crime (and hiding from the world) and love (with all the dangers of getting caught that being in public entail). The film is written and directed by Blue Valentine’s Derek Cianfrance. Rounding out the cast are Peter Dinklage, Ben Mendelsohn, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, Melonie Diaz, Uzo Aduba, Lily Collias and Jimmy O. Yang. Here’s everything to know about Roofman.
Based on a True Story
Yes, there was a real Roofman. Jeffrey Manchester lived for six months inside both a Toys R Us and a Circuit City. Like in the film, he stunted on his love interest by donating stolen goods to a Christmas toy drive. Per the SF Gate, Manchester was ex-military. He got the moniker Roofman from his MO of sawing into McDonalds restaurants through the roof in order to rob them. Not to spoil the movie, but Manchester is currently serving time for his “one last big job” at the Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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Peter Dinklage steals the trailer, arrest him!
The trailer gives us a good look at some of the featured cast, including Peter Dinklage as Dunst’s shitty boss and Lakeith Stanfield as a crime pal of Tatum. Plus a good mix of “Running Down a Dream,” which lends the Charlotte, NC-set film a certain southern swamp crime flavor.
When does Roofman come out?
You can raise the Roofman on October 10.
