What is the true story behind Channing Tatum’s Roofman? Details analyzed as movie releases on Paramount+

Channing Tatum’s new film Roofman has started streaming on Paramount+, and many viewers are asking one simple question: Is this story real? The answer is YES.

Roofman is based on the true story of Jeffrey Manchester, a real-life robber whose strange crimes in the late 1990s shocked police and the public.

The movie tells the story of how Manchester became famous for breaking into fast food restaurants through their roofs, earning him the nickname Roofman.

The film is directed by Derek Cianfrance, known for emotional and grounded movies like Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines.

Before writing the script, Cianfrance wanted to understand Manchester as a person, not just as a criminal.

Since Manchester is serving time in a maximum-security prison, Cianfrance could not visit him.

Instead, he shared his phone number, and Manchester began calling him regularly.

Over four years, they spoke several times a week.

During these calls, Manchester opened up about his life, his thinking, and his regrets.

He even started calling the director Dr. Derek, joking that the conversations felt like therapy.

In Roofman, Channing Tatum plays Jeffrey Manchester.

The movie shows how Manchester, an Army veteran, turned to crime after struggling to find steady work and stability.

His robberies were unusual because he often acted polite, even asking workers to take their jackets before locking them in freezers.

The film also focuses on his desire for family and belonging, which pushed many of his choices.

The movie first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and later released on Paramount+, bringing Manchester’s story to a wider audience.

The real story of Jeffrey Manchester and how Roofman changes it for the screen

Jeffrey Manchester was arrested in 2000 for a series of robberies across several states.

He was sentenced to 45 years in prison in North Carolina. In 2004, he escaped from prison, which made his story even more unbelievable.

While on the run, Manchester secretly lived inside a Toys “R” Us store in Charlotte, North Carolina.

He stayed hidden during the day and moved around at night.

He used baby monitors to listen for people and avoid being caught.

During this time, he also began dating a woman he met at church, Leigh Wainscott, who is played by Kirsten Dunst in the movie.

The film shows many real moments but also makes changes.

In real life, Wainscott did not work at the toy store, and Manchester also used a nearby abandoned Circuit City as another hiding spot, which the movie does not show.

A character played by LaKeith Stanfield is based on a real person who helped Manchester get fake documents, but his identity was changed to protect privacy.

Cianfrance made it clear to Manchester that the story would include fictional parts.

Manchester agreed and told him to tell the story in whatever way felt right.

To make the movie feel honest, the filmmakers spoke to Manchester’s family, Wainscott, the church pastor, and the police officer who arrested him.

Many of them even appeared in the film.

Some scenes were filmed at the real church where Manchester and Wainscott met.

A real abandoned Toys “R” Us was rebuilt for filming and filled with old toys.

Former police officers played themselves and asked real questions during scenes.

The movie does not excuse Manchester’s crimes, but it also does not paint him as pure evil.

It shows the damage he caused while also showing his childlike behavior and need for connection.

Even from prison, Manchester understood his life felt like a movie.

When he saw a clip of Tatum skating through the toy store, he said it captured how living there brought out his inner child.

That mix of truth and emotion is what Roofman aims to show.

Stay tuned for more updates.