Roofman and Friendship

 

Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst in “Roofman.” Davi Russo/Davi Russo - © 2025 PARAMOUNT PICTURES photo via IMDb.com.

Someone – I'm pretty sure it was author and political gadfly Marianne Williamson – once said we love our liars.

Their stories are so much more entertaining than the ones told by those boring old truth tellers.

If our current political morass doesn't convince you she's right, check out “Roofman.”

Inspired by a believe-it-or-not true story, Channing Tatum plays Jeffrey Manchester, a military vet dubbed Roofman in the media during a spree robbing between 40 and 60 McDonalds across the country, plus a Burger King or two, by drilling in through their roofs.

He would lock the employees in the freezer, but in at least one case gave his jacket to one who was cold. That's the kind of guy he was.

This is all basically backstory for director and co-writer Derek Cianfrance and Kirt Gunn, who prefer to focus on what happens after Manchester is caught, imprisoned, escapes and spends months hiding out in a Charlotte, North Carolina, Toys”R”Us.

A lot of what happens revolves around Leigh Wainscott (Kirsten Dunst). She's an employee at Toys”R”Us, a single mom with two teenage daughters who meets the Roofman at her church. Don't ask … it's hard to explain. 

But when he says his name is John and he can't disclose his line of work because it's top secret, Leigh and the rest of the church ladies are fine with that. 

Did I mention that people love liars? 

Looking like Channing Tatum helps.

Especially since, no matter how many lies Roofman lives, he's actually kind of a great guy.

As true as the story supposedly is, you have to wonder about Leigh's gullibility welcoming this guy into her, and her daughters' lives. (Kirsten Dunst's touching performance goes a long way toward cutting her some slack.)

Criminal minds are wired differently from, uh, minds. But that doesn't make them stupid. At least not the ones like Jeff Manchester. He's frickin' brilliant. Still, jail may be the best place for guys like him, for their sake as well as society's.

Convicts tend to get branded by their poor choices … not by their smarts and their humanity, which in rare cases like this one, are slightly awesome.

With folks like Peter Dinklage and Juno Temple in the supporting cast, all the performances are heartfelt. “Roofman” feels like a labor of love. The Toys”R”Us setting – which Dinklage presides over like a little dictator – adds surreal goofiness … even though everyone knows a reckoning is inevitable.

Although it falls into the nebulous genre of “dark comedy,” and at times tiptoes close to Hallmark Channel territory, by the end – including the end-credits interviews with the actual characters – “Roofman” is surprisingly affecting. 

A tear jerker, you might add … with a singular sense of humor.

Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in “Friendship.” A24 photo via IMDb.com

Speaking of dark comedy – whatever that means – “Friendship” also comes with that label.

Like “Roofman,” a screening link for it arrived amidst the dozens coming my way this awards season as a voting member of the Hawaii Film Critics Society. 

Don't expect to hear either of their names called at the Oscars or Golden Globes, or any of the other ceremonies that pop up like mushrooms at this time of year. The promo hype is more like consolation prizes from the studios to the filmmakers. Or participation awards.

But if “Roofman” winds up feeling all warm and fuzzy, “Friendship” comes from the other end of the spectrum, from a strange place between comedy and horror.

With Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson co-starring, it's reasonable to expect a few laughs from this suburban tale of odd-couple neighbors trying to be Bros. And that's what you get. Exactly two moments that make you – pardon the expression – LOL.

Not nearly as many times as you cringe.

Reliably likable Rudd plays second fiddle to veteran “Saturday Night Live” writer and performer Robinson. But despite the fact that Robinson – with his gap-toothed smile, sack-of-potatoes physique and beige-on-beige wardrobe – has all the trappings of an utter goofball, his character Craig isn't very funny.

Written and directed by Andrew Young, “Friendship” doesn't feel designed to amuse or frighten … it just basically creeps you out.

Essentially living out a typical suburban life of quiet desperation, it's hard to believe Craig has a job in digital image-making, or that he would have a wife as cool as Kate Mara. But when charismatic TV weatherman Austin (Rudd) moves in next door, he brings a dashing new prospect for adventure into Craig's life.

Unfortunately, Craig can't try without trying too hard, and has a volatile side just under the surface. As you might imagine, his efforts to be Austin's pal aren't going to end well. 

Not being familiar with Tim Robinson's work when I first saw this film a few months ago, I subsequently learned that painful, awkward discomfort is his comic shtick. 

As online influencers keep reminding us, this isn't a great time to be an American male. We are a lonely, insecure breed, we are told, with increasing pathos replacing the bedrock masculine assurance of times past.

Maybe that's the point “Friendship” is trying to make.

Old-fashioned as it may be, I prefer comedies that make you laugh to the ones that remind us that awkward discomfort is a contagious condition.