? It’s heist season it seems, and we’re enjoying every minute of it. In American filmmaker Derek Cianfrance’s (Blue Valentine, The Light Between Oceans) latest film, Roofman, audiences are introduced to the shockingly true story of the notorious Roofman Burglar, Jeffery Manchester, and how his heists throughout the ‘90s led him to seek refuge inside a Toys R Us store.

How does one end up next to Barbies and Build-A-Bears? Jeff (Channing Tatum) is a divorced father of three struggling to make ends meet. He’s smart, equipped with a keen sense of observation, and can discern the tiniest details that others might miss. Utilizing his skills, he devises a plan to rob the registers of popular fast food joints like McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King. The plan is as follows: cut a hole in the roof, climb in, lock the employees in the fridges, and then innocently call the police to come to their rescue when the deed is done.

He dug the hole, then fell right in. Jeff is quickly arrested, tried for robbery and attempted kidnapping, and promptly sentenced to 45 years in jail. But he doesn’t give up that easily, cleverly escaping and taking refuge in a narrow, hidden space within a local Toys R Us, unseen by either employees or patrons.

As he begins observing the daily happenings of the store, he falls in love with a friendly employee, Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), a divorced woman put through hell by her intolerable manager, Mitch (Peter Dinklage). As the days pass, Jeff is emboldened, finding ways to cautiously slip out and socialize with townsfolk. His relationship with Leigh begins to develop, yet he starts to deeply miss his daughters. No one can remain in hiding forever, though.

The film took us by (pleasant) surprise. Roofman undoubtedly exceeded our expectations, and we’d argue that its classification as a comedy-drama is somewhat unfair. At its core, Roofman is an emotionally-resonant rollercoaster. Tatum’s portrayal of Jeff, with his eccentricities and emotional tumultuousness, was stellar — and we’d argue it is one of Tatum’s best roles to date. The narrative sequence was smooth and never dull, and the cinematography was pleasantly reminiscent of the ‘90s.

While many may criticize the romanticization of a criminal like Jeff, we’d argue that the film truthfully showcases the complexities of human nature, proving that things are never simply black or white. At the end of the day, this is a father at his wit’s end who resorts to theft to provide for his daughters.

Our only critiques? We felt as though Mitch’s character — and Dinklage himself — was underutilized. When you’ve got someone like Peter Dinklage on your cast, you better make him a star. Roofman, unfortunately, did not do so, and we didn’t see as much of him as we’d hoped. Additionally, having Jeff narrate his own story, and thus signal certain thoughts and emotions to the audience, was also not the best narrative choice. The narration could have been omitted, leaving the audience with their own thoughts and judgments, rather than having them spelled out for them.

In a nutshell, Roofman is a film you’ll want to watch. If you’ve been looking for an unusual premise driven by an equally unusual true story complete with a compelling plot, stellar performances, and an unexpected ending, you’ll want to book a ticket.

WHERE TO WATCH- Roofman is screening at City Stars Cinema, Scene Cinema at CFCM, Cima Arkan, P90 Cinemas, and Zawya. Watch the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 2:26).

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