Roofman [4K Ultra HD]

Director: Derek Cianfrance

Cast: Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, Ben Mendelsohn

Release Date: January 20, 2026

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Film Rating: 9/10
Disc Rating: 8/10

Synopsis:

Based on an unbelievable true story, Roofman follows Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum), an Army veteran and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname: Roofman. After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys “R” Us for six months, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), a divorced mom drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.

Based on the remarkable true story, ‘Roofman’ tells the tale of struggling Army veteran and caring father turned criminal Jeffrey Manchester who knocked off 45 McDonald’s restaurants, accessing them via the roof which earned him the nickname Roofman. After being arrested for the crimes, he manages to escape from prison and while awaiting help getting out of the country waits it out at a local Toys “R” Us store where he stayed hidden for months during the day and enjoyed himself at night, all unbeknownst to the employees. But when he meets a kindhearted woman and against his better judgment begins a relationship with her, he’ll have to decide what is truly important as time begins to run out.

Directed by Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond the Pines) from a screenplay written by Cianfrance (Blue Valentine) & Kirt Gunn (Lovely by Surprise), Cianfrance does a very nice job at the helm of ‘Roofman’ guiding along the true tale with beauty, emotion and a great deal of heart. The film’s notable cast includes Channing Tatum (The Lost City), Kirsten Dunst (Civil War), Ben Mendelsohn (TV’s Andor), LaKeith Stanfield (The Book of Clarence), Juno Temple (Venom: The Last Dance), Uzo Aduba (National Champions), Jimmy O. Yang (TV’s Interior Chinatown), Lily Collias (Good One), Melonie Diaz (The First Purge) and Peter Dinklage (Cyrano), with most offering solid and capable performances in each of their roles.

‘Roofman’ is a fascinating, heartfelt and at times fairly funny look at a true story that’s so crazy it has to be based in reality. One element that many might not expect is just how emotional it is and while many of the trailers made it look like a comedy more than anything else, I would say it’s far more of a drama, yet that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of humorous moments sprinkled throughout. It dives into the mindset of our lead, showcasing the clever ways he manages to accomplish things including robbery and escape and it is truly quite genius just how capably and cleverly he accomplished much of what he did, while simultaneously making some really unwise and even stupid decisions in other departments.

It’s as fun and smart as it is heartwarming and even somewhat heartbreaking at times and it all comes together beautifully into a tremendous film that’s well worth giving a shot. It also does a great job of transporting us back in time and selling the timeline, with everything from vehicles to clothing and especially the intricate details of the Toys “R” Us store itself all looking spectacular and just as they should, and anyone that grew up during a time when that was the place every kid loved to visit will likely be flooded with memories the moment he steps through the doors.

Overall, ‘Roofman’ is a spectacular film based on a true story that’s loaded with heart, beauty and some humor, while also doing a fantastic job of transporting viewers back a couple decades to the time where it all plays out. It always honors the true tale behind it and delivers an emotional look at the man’s struggle, heart and questionable decisions that often plague his life and happiness. Filmmaker Derek Cianfrance does a wonderful job guiding things along and even shooting in 35mm to better represent the timeline within and the film’s talented cast led by Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst repeatedly complements his capable work behind the camera. If you’re interested in the film or even just fascinated by the true story that serves as its basis then ‘Roofman’ is definitely recommended and worth taking the time to give a whirl.

VIDEO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘Roofman’ features a full 2160p Ultra High Definition presentation with Dolby Vision and HDR-10, presented in its original 2.39:1 Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks very nice for the most part and offers a clean, solid and filmic presentation from start to finish that doesn’t always pop like many modern films but never suffers from any glitches or issues to be located along the way. Detail is great on character specifics and exteriors, along with the interior of the store itself where much of the tale plays out and the fact that it’s shot on 35mm film stock stands out with plenty of natural grain. The Dolby Vision HDR helps fine tune some colors and elements within, although the film is often somewhat intentionally dull in appearance so don’t expect overly vibrant and glaring colors throughout. Overall, this is a solid Ultra High Definition presentation that holds up nicely and should satisfy fans as well as first time viewers.

AUDIO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release features a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack. This multichannel soundtrack is admittedly somewhat of a surprise considering how rare it is to see a modern, big studio film with a 5.1 track on UHD disc instead of Atmos, yet the soundtrack does its job just fine and delivers a crisp, clean and at times fairly active audio presentation throughout. It takes advantage of all five available channels in order to send music, nature and crowd noise, plus some other tidbits throughout the various speakers whenever fitting, while always making certain that any dialogue or other audio elements that might be occurring simultaneously remain clean and entirely audible. Overall, this is a fully capable 5.1 Dolby TrueHD soundtrack that may not astound, but doesn’t disappoint or underwhelm either.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘Roofman’ features a decent collection of entertaining extras. Included on the release are some ‘Deleted and Alternate Scenes’ from the movie (running approximately 8 minutes in length altogether), in addition to various Behind the Scenes Featurettes that feature interviews/comments with the cast and crew, plus behind the scenes footage and more. They include ‘Based on Actual Events and Terrible Decisions’ (running approximately 14 minutes), ‘Chasing the Ghosts: The Director’s Method’ (approximately 11 minutes), A Good Place to Hide’ (9 minutes), ‘Driving Lesson’ (3 minutes) and ‘Choir Practice’ (1 minute).

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray disc included in the 4K UHD Combo Pack and resized. They do not represent the quality of the 4K Ultra HD disc itself and will additionally suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on the 4K UHD & Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

–

Film Rating: 9/10
Disc Rating: 8/10

–

‘Roofman’ is Now Available to Own on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD & Digital from Paramount Home Entertainment

–

You can purchase ‘Roofman’ on 4K UHD at Amazon HERE!

*Screen-Connections.com is an Amazon Associate that earns from qualifying purchases