Channing Tatum raises his ceiling in ‘Roofman’

Channing Tatum’s burly build and handsome face make him fit for an action star, his goofball energy renders him suitable for a chick flick or broad comedy and his dramatic range allows him to perform well in prestigious dramas and thrillers.  

No film, however, has been able to capitalize on all of Tatum’s gifts as a movie star. 

At least, until “Roofman.”

Released Oct. 9, “Roofman” stars Tatum (“Magic Mike,” “21 Jump Street”) as Jeffrey Manchester, an Army veteran who resorts to robbing McDonalds’ to provide for his kids. As a result, Manchester gets arrested, escapes prison and begins secretly living in a Toys “R” Us. 

Manchester carries on a double life as John Zorn, going to Church and living a domesticated life in Charlotte, North Carolina while on the run from the cops.

The protagonist is a sweet, loving man who just wants to raise a family. He’s presented as a genius, memorizing complex patterns to rob McDonalds’ and escape prison while maintaining the physicality of a man who would believably steal from a restaurant. 

Portraying a character with the seemingly numerous contradictions this one has is a heavy burden for an actor to try and carry, but Tatum holds it effortlessly, able to be hilarious, tender, intimidating and tragic all at once without seeming like he’s reaching too hard for one emotion at any time. 

The most impressive feat Tatum accomplishes, however, is making Manchester believably human. The character and the plot of this movie are insane. The utter ridiculousness makes it all the more surprising the film is based on a real person. 

At the AMC River East screening Q&A Oct. 9, writer and director Derek Cianfrance described how he spent over 400 hours across four and a half years in conversation with the real-life Jeffrey Manchester in order to portray the story accurately.

Having begun his career as a documentary filmmaker before his 2010 breakout hit, “Blue Valentine,” Cianfrance’s documentary roots still remain in his narrative films.

Cianfrance (“The Place Beyond the Pines,” “The Light Between Oceans”) is a filmmaker who seems more interested in complex recreation than fictionalized storytelling. In “Blue Valentine,” for example, Cianfrance had stars Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling live together for a month to allow them to more accurately mirror the dissolution of their characters’ marriage.

In “Roofman,” Cianfrance goes to the same painstaking detail. The film was shot on location in Charlotte, North Carolina and features period-accurate props and sets, even including many of the people and places Manchester encountered in real life.

At times, the effort to recreate rather than tell a fully formed story results in a lopsided narrative with lulls in action. However, the naturalistic details throughout the film add to the intimacy of the character and story in a tangible, necessary way. 

No matter how many reminders are given throughout the film — be it the opening title card stating, “This is a true story,” or interviews in the credits with the real-life people portrayed in the film — the plot just seems too pulpy and cinematic to be real. 

The movie also features an all-star supporting cast, including Kirsten Dunst, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple and Peter Dinklage. 

In many ways, this movie shares many elements with one of Dinklage’s best-known works, “Elf.” Both feature a charismatic movie star that arrives in a new city and lives in a toy store before bringing joy to a crumbling family and falling in love with one of the store’s employees.

What separates “Roofman” from “Elf” — besides the lack of Christmas spirit — or any other more schlocky version of the same narrative are the moments of sadness and tragedy on the film’s periphery.

There are tiny moments of reflection from Manchester throughout the film — a phone call home or a torn family picture — that slow the audience down for a beat to remind them of the pain the character carries with him. 

“Roofman” opened to $1 million in previews and made roughly $8 million opening weekend — making it the largest opening weekend of Cianfrance’s career. 

One of the best surprises of the year, “Roofman” is a competently made crime-comedy that, while ridiculous at times, is a joyous, heart-warming and hilarious movie centered around a career-best performance from Tatum. 

“Roofman,” rated R, is in theaters now.