Channing Tatum has had a great career. After fans first saw his adorable face in She’s The Man and his enviable dance moves in Step Up, he went stratospheric with Magic Mike. He’s moved seamlessly between action and comedy since then but his upcoming film has a truly strange and ridiculous plot. And no, it’s not another Magic Mike movie, although more than a few people would be happy to hear about that!
Deadline reported that Tatum and Kirsten Dunst are starring in Roofman, which is about a man who robbed several McDonald’s… and put employees in the fast food chain’s freezers while doing so.
In a world of remakes, I’m all about a movie plot that makes you stop and think, but this… is a bit much. As X user @breezybetter07 pointed out, does anyone want to watch this? That seems like a rhetorical question. Many users had the same reaction and were stunned by this, um, unique story.
A few people posted on X that they would watch Roofman because of Dunst’s talent, which, okay, I totally get. Bring It On will always be a fun cheerleading movie and it’s been cool seeing Dunst’s career evolve. But she has given such awesome performances in strong movies like The Virgin Suicides and Civil War, so why sign onto this truly bizarre film?!
But wait! This is a true story! Yes, really. As Deadline pointed out, Jeffrey Manchester hid in a North Carolina-based Toys R Us and Circuit City after ecaping jail in 2004. He forced employees to go into the freezers (I’m still fixated on this point…) and stole from 60 McDonald’s locations. According to SF Gate, he used power tools and drills to cut a hole in the roof of these fast food spots so he could enter. He has been in a North Carolina prison since 2004 and his release date is set for 2036.
The strangest part of this whole thing? People keep describing Manchester as a nice, non-violent thief. A manager at one McDonald’s location told SF Gate “He was polite, he was apologizing.” How did that conversation go? “I’m sorry I’m robbing you… but I’m still going to do that and, oh yeah, also force you into the freezer?” I’m also frustrated with the movie’s title. Yes, Manchester has been called “Roofman.” But if you’re not familiar with his story, you might not know that. While, sure, Roofman kind of explains what’s going on, it also… doesn’t? It’s not vague in a mysterious and cool way, it’s just random. If you’re going to turn this real-life tale into a film, at least come up with a better name.
While it doesn’t sound like anyone got hurt, robbing even just one store is no joke, and it’s impossible to ignore how terrified people must have felt. Although the true crime genre has exploded (and I listened to Serial, too), it doesn’t feel like Roofman needs to be made. There are so many talented writers out there who are working hard and dreaming of their scripts being picked up one day. Make those movies instead!
Published: Oct 1, 2024 09:51 am