Channing Tatum's Overlooked 2025 Crime Comedy Is Finally Finding An Audience On Prime Video

One would think that audiences would flock to a romantic dramedy starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst, but unfortunately for Derek Cianfrance's "Roofman," that was not the case. The movie was appreciated by critics and audiences alike, but unfortunately that didn't mean much for movie theater ticket sales, and "Roofman" was a box office disappointment. While part of the problem might have been that the "Roofman" marketing sold the movie as a straightforward comedy when it's much more than that, the good news is that a bit of time and word-of-mouth have led it to finding a larger audience streaming on Prime Video. (Don't have Prime Video? Don't worry, because there are multiple ways to watch "Roofman" at home!)

"Roofman" is based on the story of real-life criminal Jeffrey Manchester, who became a bit of a news phenomenon because of his method of robbing from McDonald's restaurants by drilling through their roofs and later hiding out in a Toys "R" Us store after escaping from prison. Manchester's friendly demeanor and generally kind treatment of the employees of stores he robbed made him a pretty likable subject despite his crimes, and the true story is so fascinating that it doesn't need any Hollywood embellishment. It's a bummer that audiences took a minute to discover this sweet, melancholic little movie, but hopefully its rise on the Prime Video streaming charts (via FlixPatrol) is just the beginning of some real love for "Roofman."

"Roofman" has a tough job in trying to turn a long and complex story about former Army parachuter Jeffrey Manchester's crime spree into a digestible two-hour film, leading to a slightly messy script that's nevertheless held aloft by its warmth. While living in the Toys "R" Us (actually an adjoining empty Circuit City in real life), Manchester began joining the local community and even dating a local woman named Leigh Moore (Kirsten Dunst), and the relationships he builds are the most compelling part of the story. Thankfully, the movie's cast knocks it out of the park, helping audiences really care about this unique group of characters. 

Along with Channing Tatum as the almost impossibly likable Manchester and Dunst as his Toys "R" Us employee girlfriend, "Roofman" also stars the always great LaKeith Stanfield as Manchester's fellow ex-Army buddy who makes fake IDs and Peter Dinklage as the Toys "R" Us store manager who eventually discovers Manchester's deception. (It's a true story so that's not really a spoiler, and besides, the scene in which Dinklage and Tatum run around the store is so chaotic that it actually led to a bloody injury for Tatum and is worth the price of admission all on its own.)

Hopefully success for "Roofman" on streaming will help convince studios to keep taking swings on smaller movies that can make back their budgets over time. In the meantime, go check out "Roofman." Laugh, cry, and think about humanity a bit. It'll be good for you.