The city of Charlotte, North Carolina is not exactly known for its representation in major cinematic productions, at least in comparison to your typical New York City, Los Angeles, or Chicago centric films. However, Channing Tatum appears to have laid claim to Charlotte in his filmography more than any other A-list star. “Roofman” marks the second film of his career in which he plays a divorced girl dad who commits a heist in the Queen City, joining Steven Soderbergh’s “Logan Lucky” (2017) to fit this acutely specific criteria. I had the privilege to attend the Charlotte premiere of “Roofman” at the newly restored Carolina Theatre, with director Derek Cianfrance in attendance to experience the film with a local audience for the first time.
“Roofman” is inspired by the real-life escapades of Jeffrey Manchester (Tatum), a US Army veteran turned criminal who robbed dozens of McDonald’s across North Carolina, escaped from prison, and lived in a Toys “R” Us for six months while hiding from the law in Charlotte. During this time, he also developed a double-life, becoming active at Crossroads Presbyterian Church and forming a relationship with member Leigh Wainscott (Kirsten Dunst) and her kids. The life of such a complex figure requires a nuanced examination. Manchester was not violent across his McDonald’s robbery spree or subsequent prison escape, and his genuine care for Wainscott and her family is well documented. There is also an ingenuity to his ability to make a thriving, active secret life for himself right under the nose of the authorities. Tatum imbues this character with a sensitivity and charm that makes the audience feel all of the multitudes contained within Manchester. As the viewer, we feel both sympathy and empathy for this man in his struggle against a violently capitalistic system that has destroyed his life and millions of others, including Wainscott’s.
In a post-screening Q&A, Derek Cianfrance further discussed this complicated characterization and his personal emotions surrounding it. Crossroads Presbyterian Church was led by Pastor
Ron Smith, portrayed by the delightful Ben Mendelsohn in the film. Cianfrance noted his conversations with Smith and Wainscott and their views on grace as it relates to their faith: “I had a conversation with both of them early on in my discussions, in my research of this project, and both Lee and Ron kind of offered a perspective on the film that led the point of view of the film in many ways. I remember I was asking Ron at one point about his thoughts on the Bible, and he said the Old Testament’s about judgment and the New Testament’s about grace, and in his life he tried to err on the side of grace. And so that was kind of where we tried to turn our point of view in the film – grace for all the people in the film.”
Also speaking to the importance of bringing the production of such a Charlotte-oriented story to the city itself, Cianfrance said, “The events of the real story took place in Charlotte – it was very important to us to bring the movie back down to Charlotte. I was fortunate enough to be able to work with not only a great crew down here, but also people who were involved in the real story. And a lot of those people were generous enough to play themselves or play versions of themselves in the movie. So there’s a lot of love from the people here that came into the movie.”
To provide some context, I have lived just a few dozen miles west of Charlotte for my entire life. It’s the closest major city, and it was one of my earliest introductions to the wider world beyond the borders of my rural North Carolina hometown. There is something special about seeing this represented on the silver screen, and watching characters based on real-life figures occupy that real-life space that you know so well. It just would not have been the same if Cianfrance and co. had tried to replicate Charlotte in another metropolitan area, or a backlot studio space in LA. “Roofman” captures the essence of Charlotte and the story of Jeffrey Manchester with a love and care that made this lifelong North Carolinian proud.
“Roofman” will premiere in theaters on October 10, 2025.
Featured Photo Courtesy of Paramount