The True Story Behind Channing Tatum's Unbelievable Character In 'Roofman'

Channing Tatum has played many iconic movie characters throughout his career, which have made him the beloved actor he is today. Channing Tatum's best comedy movies have allowed the actor to showcase his range of comedy, from goofy dialogue delivery to sincere physical gags. The "My name is Jeff" line from 22 Jump Street is unforgettable to every Tatum fan.

Channing Tatum has proven that even a minor throwaway scene, like his cameo in Bullet Train, is enough for him to leave a mark on an audience by causing them to erupt with laughter. However, he is also an underrated dramatic actor. Most notably, in 2024, he gave an unnerving performance in Blink Twice, surprising many of his harshest critics.

In fact, Channing Tatum's acting debut was in the historical drama Coach Carter, based on a true story about a high-school basketball team. His most famous movie, which mixes comedy with drama, Magic Mike, is based on Channing Tatum's real-life experience of being a stripper in Tampa. He has also delivered a memorable dramatic performance in his most recent film.

Channing Tatum Plays Jeffrey Manchester In Roofman

In Derek Cianfrance's 2025 movie, Roofman, Channing Tatum turns into notorious store-robber Jeffrey Manchester. The movie's title is based on Manchester's nickname, the Roofman, given by the media, due to his unique habit of breaking into stores through the roof. Roofman follows the events after Jeffrey Manchester's jailbreak when he lived as a fugitive inside a Toys "R" Us store.

Yes, the premise sounds outlandish, but the events are based on the real-life experiences of Jeffrey Manchester, who did in fact reside in a toy store for months after breaking out of prison. He's currently serving time, and was, in the meantime, caught attempting to escape prison twice more. Every review of Roofman praises Tatum for his sincerely grounded performance.

Roofman follows Manchester as he gets caught and sentenced to prison for years, prompting him to break out and try to see his daughter. His ex-wife intervenes, since she wants to keep their daughter safe from him. He then builds a life for himself while living in the Toys "R" Us store, even romancing a local played by Kirsten Dunst.

The Roofman's Personality Makes Him Look Like A Classic Movie Character

It is difficult to believe that Jeffrey Manchester was a real person due to his wacky portrayal in the film. He is a kind-hearted man who ensures the employees of the stores he holds up are safe and comfortable. He is a smooth talker, and for months, he successfully conned his romantic interest into believing he worked for the government.

Despite a few changes, the Roofman movie's story is mostly true to real life, which makes Jeffrey Manchester appear even more intriguing. Details about his personality are mostly accurate. His winning charm, depicted by Tatum with believable sincerity, makes him look like a slick criminal from a movie and not an actual person. Manchester's con's success is hard to believe.

Roofman's Storytelling Uses Familiar Romance Movie Gimmicks

What makes Roofman a truly bewildering experience is the movie's narrative structure. Apart from some minor details about Kirsten Dunst's Leigh Wainscott, the movie doesn't change much of her story in its portrayal of her relationship with Manchester. Tatum's Manchester wears his heart on his sleeve when dating Leigh and warming up to her daughters, and this depiction is authentic.

The order of events and the exchanges between the characters belong in a rom-com, and they feel even more dream-like due to the warmth of Tatum's performance. At times, it feels like he has simply reprised his role as the titular character from Steven Soderbergh's caper, Logan Lucky. His endearing personality even makes you forget that Manchester's a dangerous criminal.

Roofman Ends With An Iconic Hollywood Trope

Roofman's ending proves that the best crime movies are successful because of their ability to interpret human nature. In a recent interview, speaking about his famous character from Michael Mann's movie, Robert De Niro confirmed Neils' decision in Heat's ending broke the character's own rules because he became sentimental and wanted to escape the country with his romantic interest, Eady.

So, when Leigh is able to help authorities capture Jeffrey Manchester in Roofman's ending because he went to her house instead of catching a flight out of the country, it doesn't feel unrealistic. It does feel like a classic Hollywood moment, but if we accept everything else about Jeffrey Manchester's slick persona, is this really a stretch of the imagination?

Roofman Proves How Cinematic Style Makes Biopics More Entertaining

Roofman should become a template for other directors making biopics about people like Jeffrey Manchester, because its editing and writing prove that, with restraint, the dramatic aspects of a remarkable real-life story become even more worthy of emotional investment. If every moment you dismissed as unrealistic is proven to have happened, that adds to the entertainment factor of a film.

The cast and crew of Roofman discussed a deleted scene from the movie in an interview, where they explained an actual detail had to be omitted because it felt too unbelievable and would inevitably make viewers question the director's commitment to staying true to reality. Such an intriguing story deserves to be told with Hollywood fanfare, and Roofman doesn't disappoint.